Cousins, Book 2: Reclamation
by KieraPSI
Summary: Continued from Escape: Tom is still in government custody. Lewis and Keri join forces with the Coexistence Faction to gain his release. Meanwhile, can Keri reclaim Lewis's memories of the Great Betrayal to make him whole again? Sexual situations & graphic violence. See author profile for disclaimers.
1. Chapter 1

Mark looked up from the reports he was sorting as Jeffrey entered the room. "We've got a nibble."

"Excellent. What happened?"

Jeffrey sighed and dropped into one of the richly upholstered visitors' chairs that faced Mark's desk. "Robert's company was asked to send in a technician to calibrate their new invention on a prisoner."

"I don't suppose he was given the location?"

"Of course not. They're sapiens, not stupid. We have our collaborator in place at their main office, which is where Robert's been told to report. Hopefully they'll test him there, where we can alter the results, and then send him on to the prisoner's location."

"And now we wait. We don't even know if the prisoner they want the device tested on is Tom." Mark ran a careless hand through the neat stacks of papers. "Unexpected ally notwithstanding, if it is, do we have the manpower available to get him out?"

"Hard to say. Everyone scattered after the ambush. Former friends don't know us anymore. We may have enough by the time we get confirmation on the location and the set up. If it were today, I'd have to say forget it."

"That's what I feared." Mark clenched his fists, tried desperately to retain his calm façade and failed. "Damn it, Jeffrey, we need him! The best and brightest of the chameleons, one of the Chosen, embracing coexistence. We would no longer need to count our numbers so carefully; hundreds of thousands would follow his example. Think of it, Lewis' hand-picked successor, advocating coexistence!" He slumped back in his seat and took a deep breath. "We need him, Jeffrey," he said calmly.

"Forgive me, Mark, but do we? Wouldn't Lewis himself be a much better symbol? After all, he is the inspiration for those that believe the sapiens must be crushed. The accounts of what he lost at their hands after giving them his trust…they inflame our young and empower our more radical leaders."

"One problem. He has not chosen coexistence."

"He has taken a sapiens as his bonded mate!"

"Has he? You've seen the same reports I have. Is Keridwen Ashton really sapiens?"

Jeffrey sighed. "No one seems to know what she is. The hair sample I collected for analysis gave anomalous DNA readings. Her PSI adaptation does not exactly match ours, but it is similar. The characteristics _appear_ to be dominant rather than recessive, so far as we can tell without breeding her experimentally…so, it is possible that she is not homo sapiens-sapiens."

"But is she one of our half-adapted with an evolutionary advance, or is she something else entirely? Wouldn't that be a kick in our collective ass, Jeffrey? While we are working to replace the sapiens, yet another even more advanced species is developing to replace us?"

"You don't believe that?"

Mark picked up the DNA analysis report. It was almost a year old, but still valid. "I'm not sure what I _believe_, but their bond is legitimate. That argues for her PSI gifts being an advance on ours. Lewis is one of our more gifted talents. Perhaps his subconscious recognized that she is indeed an advance and initiated the bond in order to secure her for the gene pool. I just wish I knew what the advance consists of and whether or not it could be useful to our plans."

"Does what she _is_ truly matter? Mark, she _thinks_ she is sapiens…_Lewis_ thinks she is sapiens. Can he truly continue to pursue a vendetta against his mate's people?"

"After what happened to his family, how can he not?"

... ...

Keri woke up wrapped in Lewis' arms. She snuggled in to enjoy the warmth and security of his embrace, then gasped and pulled away as she noticed his state of arousal. He stared at her; his eyes heavy lidded with sleep and desire. "Where are you going?" he grumbled. "You belong here."

"Not right now I don't," she watched as he frowned and began to move towards her. "Lewis, remember; we can't do this now…you can barely keep me safe as it is, if I get pregnant that will make it impossible."

"Hmm. Not impossible, but considerably more difficult." He groaned; his eyes drifting closed. "Don't bother saving me any hot water…I'm not going to need it."

Keri chuckled as she headed for the bathroom. "Believe it or not, I _am_ sorry, you know." She heard Lewis snort in disbelief as she closed the door.

... ...

Lewis gritted his teeth as he watched Keridwen dress. He didn't trust himself to leave the bed while she was present. The imperative was not as strong as it should be, but it was back. He did not understand why she didn't seem to be affected, but he was not going to question their good fortune. She hummed as she fussed with something at the sides of her head. When she turned, he saw that they had brought her some simple jewelry as well as clothing.

"Thought my earring holes were going to close up," she commented.

He watched intently as she fastened a simple gold chain around her neck.

"Nice of them to think of jewelry, don't you think? It's funny what you miss when you don't have it anymore, but I think I missed the jewelry more than anything else…well, except a good shampoo."

"Are you finished?" he asked quietly.

"Uh, yes. Why?"

"Pick up the phone and have someone escort you downstairs so that I can shower."

"Huh?" She looked up to meet his eyes and flinched. "Oh. Sorry."

He gritted his teeth again as she called for someone to meet her. Finally there was a knock on the door and Keridwen exited. Lewis left the bed, got into the shower and resolutely turned on the cold water full force.

... ...

"Good morning, Keri. Please, have a seat; your breakfast will be ready momentarily."

Keri smiled at Mark and took the seat he had indicated. "Is it still morning?" she asked.

He looked up, she could feel a tinge of amusement in his aura, but his face was passive and controlled. "Yes, you made morning by a good thirty minutes."

She laughed. "Well, just so long as I didn't sleep past noon. Don't want to perpetuate the rumors about the idle rich."

"Not that you qualify," Jeff said as he set a plate of steaming food in front of her. "You were always either at class, seeing a client, or doing a consult for the DA's psych team."

"Oh, not always," she chuckled, examining her breakfast with delight. They had somehow come up with her favorite menu. The ham and Swiss cheese omelet, hash browns, wheat toast with strawberry jam…and here was Alexa with her orange juice!

"True, in your spare time you were doing all that work for your history group."

"Well, that was for fun," she mumbled around a bite of omelet. "Mm, this is wonderful. How did you know I'd like this, do you have a file with my food preferences?"

Mark shook his head. "No, even our records are not that detailed. Lewis ordered it for you." His head tilted at her surprised reaction. "Will he be joining us soon?"

Keri sighed. "I'm not sure. It seems I was only partially right. I think he can sense there's no chance of my conceiving without further…ah, input. He was having a little difficulty this morning, but at least I'm not looping it back to him and making it worse."

"That is regrettable. I don't know of anything we can do to help him."

"I do not need your help," Lewis growled.

... ...

Keridwen looked up at him, her gray eyes widening at his tone. He reached inside to tighten his control. "My apologies." He sat down across from his mate and watched her return to her meal. She ate daintily but with good appetite, and judging by the feeling of enjoyment he was getting from her, he had accurately remembered and interpreted the smells of the breakfast she had been served outside his cell.

"Thank you for remembering," she said quietly, reaching to touch his hand. Lewis braced himself for the contact but found he could tolerate it easily.

"Your favorite?" he asked. Keridwen nodded happily then dabbed a bit of orange pulp from her lips with a napkin. "I thought it might be. As I recall, your cousin needed to be conciliatory at the time."

"Damn straight," she chuckled.

"Any news?" Lewis asked as his own breakfast was delivered. He tucked into the French toast and sausage without waiting for a response.

"We have an operative bringing a report to us. He should arrive within the hour," Mark said. "From what I understand, the results of his mission were mixed. Unfortunately the line was not secure so what he meant by that remains to be seen."

Keridwen had finished her breakfast and was sitting at the table leaning with her elbows on it, her n resting on her folded hands. Her contentment flowed to him through the bond, and he was able to use it to strengthen his control.

Jeff returned from the kitchen with a coffeepot. "Seconds, anyone?" Lewis held up his empty cup for a refill. He smiled as his mate wrinkled her nose.

"Hot bitter dishwater," she muttered. The others turned to look at her in surprise. "Well, sure, it smells great, but do you really taste that stuff?" she asked.

"The caffeine is useful," Lewis told her. "In moderation, of course."

"That," she said firmly, "is what chocolate and coca cola are for."

Lewis chuckled. "I see that I will be making my own coffee, hmm?"

She shrugged. "I don't mind making it. Just don't expect me to remember to buy it." Keridwen looked up at him suddenly, her eyes wet. "Assuming we ever have a normal enough life that it matters."

He set down his cup and reached across the table for her hands. "I will find a way to give you the life you want. I promise." Lewis squeezed her fingers gently as she nodded.

"Given the current state of affairs, you may have to take on two governments to keep that promise," Mark commented.

Lewis snapped his head around to stare the man down. "Then I will do so." Much to his annoyance, the man refused to be cowed. His guess at Mark's occupation among their people was no doubt correct.

"Then perhaps it is time you took a stand one way or the other."

"You know where I stand. I am the head of the chameleon program, our people's best weapon against the sapiens and our best chance at survival."

"Not any more," Alexa spoke up. She swallowed at his glare but held her ground. "One of the council's pets now runs the program. We are no longer an elite force to infiltrate and gather intelligence, killing only to prevent them from identifying us. We are now assassins, nothing more."

Jeff snorted. "Not that the original mission matters now. The sapiens can identify us almost at will…at least at any point where they can legitimately run a fluid test. They have identified the markers that make it unnecessary to run a full DNA work up to know what we are."

"It matters," Lewis said. "What has it come to that even you have betrayed me?"

"I didn't betray you, or the program, Lewis," Alexa told him. "I didn't enter the program to be a killer. I did it to ensure our people's survival. The old ways aren't working; we need to find new ones. This is the new one I found."

Lewis stood abruptly and left the room.

... ...

"I think he took that rather well," Alexa said, breaking the silence.

"Why is he so hot about you betraying him? I know he's pissed with Tom, but Tom's his cousin," Keri asked.

Alexa's left eyebrow rose in a naggingly familiar arch. "Do you know our naming practices, Keri?" she asked in return.

"Uh, no."

"Until and unless one must live among the sapiens full time, one uses the name given them by their birth mother, and as a surname uses the given name of their sire. This makes it easier to avoid developing an interest in a half-sibling. If someone is using the same surname as you are, you make sure you know their father's surname."

"Okay. So Jeff's father's name was Garrett?"

"Exactly. Now sometimes the father's given name doesn't really work as a surname, so it is altered. Paul Barnes, our faction's murdered leader, was the son of a man named Barney. That would have sounded odd to sapiens record keepers, so the last letter was changed."

"Got it."

"Those that will be spending extended amounts of time living as sapiens in one place are given a new name. We had a researcher watching for up and coming stars in the genetics field who was renamed Ian Copeland, and lived for twenty years working in various university systems as such. His original name was Ian Scott."

"Okay."

"My name is Alexa Lewis."

"Oh my god." Keri stared at the doorway that Lewis had stridden through. "No wonder he feels betrayed. Wait a minute; I thought all his children were killed."

"His children with his bonded mate, Marjorie, were murdered," Mark told them. "Alexa was from a required pairing when Lewis was much younger."

"I wasn't part of the gathering, hadn't even met him at that point, so I didn't know he had taken a mate," Alexa interjected. "Children don't often have contact with their sires from required pairings. Generally only the children of bonded mates grow up with both parents."

"That is so sad. No wonder you all seem so lost."

... ...

Keridwen found him staring out the window of a second floor balcony. She walked up behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her cheek against his back. "Everything's changing so quickly," she whispered.

Lewis sighed. "Yes." He drew her around to his left side, and tucked her against him. "There are four choices and I find I don't care for any of them." His mate rubbed her head on his shoulder and looked up at him expectantly. "Shall we make new choices, my own?"

She smiled, almost wickedly. "Absolutely. What did you have in mind?"

He chuckled. "Well, for one, we'll assist in recovering my cousin. The council will not do so, and I do not believe this coexistence faction is capable of doing it. Certainly, not since they've lost their leader. I imagine that they are in a great deal of disarray."

"I'm up for that," Keridwen said, playing with the gold chain. "More Dani baiting, sounds like fun."

Lewis frowned. "What happened to that amethyst crystal thing you were wearing in the facility?"

"I'm not sure." She shrugged. "I guess I lost it while we were getting out. I didn't notice it was missing until I was at the ATM, and I didn't find it in the car." An odd light entered her eyes. "Hmm, that thing was really attuned to me. Remember what you said about Dani's hunches not happening infrequently enough?"

"Yes."

"Well, I don't know if she can do it on purpose, she hasn't got all of the gifts that I do, but maybe she's got my crystals and is using them to tune in on me."

Lewis considered the matter. "How are you and Danielle related?"

"We're cousins; you know that…oh, got it. Our mothers are sisters, twins, actually."

"A pair of twins married a pair of brothers?"

Keridwen stared at him. "No, our fathers weren't related."

His brows rose reflexively. "Then why are you both Ashtons?"

"Oh," she chuckled. "I guess that is confusing. Grandfather adopted us both; he decided it would make inheritance and such easier." She suddenly sobered. "Well, that and he was worried about us being next."

"Next for what?"

"He believed that our fathers were targeted as part of a conspiracy, industrial espionage, professional rivalry, he never really was clear on just what the conspiracy was. You see, when Dani and I were ten our parents took a holiday together and drove one of grandfather's cars to the Catskills. The brakes failed and they went off a bridge into a ravine. They never had a chance." She blinked rapidly a few times, and then looked back up at him. "Officially, the police said the cause was faulty maintenance, that the brake fluid was too low. The thing was, grandfather has an in-house mechanic. That man was fanatical about the condition of the cars; always had been. There is no way the brake fluid could have dropped that much since his last inspection of it without someone purposely draining it."

"What did your father do?" Lewis asked, a suspicion forming at the back of his mind.

"Both dad and Uncle Stan were doctors; researchers, not practicing physicians. Grandfather wanted his daughters to have husbands who actually got some sleep occasionally. They were on one of the teams working on mapping DNA."

Lewis' eyes closed. Keridwen felt him stiffen and she pulled away from him, backing towards the center of the room.

"Oh god," she said, evidently coming to the same conclusion that he had. "Lewis, please tell me that you didn't kill my parents."

He spun to face her. "No! I did not. Nor did I order it." He sighed and reached out for her hands. "Keridwen, I was eighteen and in Vietnam when the…accident happened. I was not involved in any such activities at that time, I swear to you."

She let him pull her closer. "But you think that your people may have…"

"Yes. It's possible, even likely." He pulled her close and stroked her hair as she cried.

"That could explain a great deal," Mark said as he entered the room."Keri, does your grandfather share any of your gifts?"

"Um, sort of. He gets hunches, like Danielle…only stronger and far more frequently. Oh and sometimes a full on precognitive episode. And he can tell when someone believes him or not." She chuckled through her tears. "Kind of explains why he's never lost an election, doesn't it?"

"Yes, and more." Mark looked at the bond mates. "Our doctor has arrived. I think it is time to talk about that memory block."

**ELSEWHERE**

Grant Ashton wiped tears from his face with a shaking hand. He angrily grabbed the remote and turned off the VCR that had been playing a tape of Keri's graduation from Columbia. He hadn't been able to tell her then how proud he was of her accomplishment. His anger, or rather his fear of her choice of a field of study had separated them.

He had wanted the girls to study law, not to follow him into politics though that would have pleased him, but because it was as far removed from anything that would threaten the hidden ones, the ones who killed their parents, as any field he could think of.

But his sweet Keri, with all her innocence, had refused to take her finals at Harvard, and had instead begun again, studying a combination of subjects almost guaranteed to make her the hidden ones' target. Her doctoral thesis, on paranormal talents and how they were inherited, would have made waves in the fields of both her major, Parapsychology and her other degree, Genetics, had he not donated enough money to the university to ensure that they would 'neglect' to officially publish it.

And now she was in their hands…in _his_ hands. He picked up the set of file photographs. The older shot was of a young man with wavy golden blonde hair, sporting a trim goatee. The intense blue eyes were echoed in the new photo of a man with wavy silver hair, who he knew had been forcibly clean-shaven. The young man had a sensual confident smile. The elder's lips were sent in an arrogant, condescending smirk.

Had Lewis taken his Keri on purpose? Had he known she was the child of his favorite daughter? Grant knew that his decisions had deprived the man of his wife, sons and daughters. Was this Lewis' revenge?

Twenty-three years ago…it seemed like a lifetime. His children had been dead six years and his private investigations had uncovered hints of something that no one would believe. A new breed of man, living among them, doing anything they could to protect themselves from discovery. His sons-in-law were the heart of a research team studying DNA. They were full of ideas that would advance the research in leaps and bounds. And then they were gone.

His surprise when another powerful senator approached him with news of this new breed was complete. He had been asked to join a group that would meet representatives of these people who wished to come forward and announce their existence to the world under the auspices and protection of the US Government. The world was changing, he was told, and here was his chance to be part of it.

Grant remembered meeting with the group. Several men in their early thirties to early fifties had introduced themselves as their people's council, who had the authority to make decisions for the whole. Also present were several families, obviously intended to show the various senators, congressmen and military officers that they were just like any other Americans.

They were not like any other Americans. One of the families had stood out in Grant's eyes. The father was tall, blonde and blue eyed. His strength and grace called to mind an Olympic-caliber athlete. The mother was red-haired with hazel eyes. Her serene smile and the way she moved almost in synch with her husband were intimidating.

When they were introduced to him, the woman's smile had widened. "Senator Ashton, it _is_ a pleasure," she had said. "These are my daughters Cassandra and Melissa. I understand you are raising granddaughters, and had daughters of your own." The two girls, one with curly dark red hair and the other with soft waves of honey blonde, reminded him of Keri and Dani…flawless, inhuman versions of Keri and Dani.

She hadn't introduced her two sons. That she had left for her husband, who had favored her with an indulgent look at her omission. All four children were beautiful, intelligent, and well behaved. They were veritable poster children for the new breed. Grant had felt a shiver of unexplained dread run down his spine…then realized they all gave off a kind of power hum. Something like the feeling Keri gave him, but stronger…more overt.

Later, he had closeted himself with several of the group that had met with the new breed. He shared his fears and suspicions. The new breed had gathered its people in Oaxaca, Mexico to facilitate announcing their existence. It was decided that their existence would end there.

Grant looked again at the two photographs. One was of a young man full of hope and dreams. The other was of the same man, whose only dreams were likely of revenge. "Damn you, Lewis," he ground out. "Why didn't you die with the others?"


	2. Chapter 2

Keri sat nervously in the loveseat beside Lewis. Doctor or no doctor, this was going to be dangerous. They were waiting for Jeff to arrive. Mark wanted as many of their people with either medical training or strong PSI gifts available as possible. Alexa sat quietly across from them. Neither father nor daughter would look at each other. Sighing, Keri slipped her hand inside Lewis'.

"It's not a betrayal, you know," she said quietly. "Not any more than my taking you away from Dani was a betrayal of her."

"Keridwen," he began, and then stopped. "Excuse us." He took a firm hold of her hand and led her out of the study and up to their bedroom, closing the door sharply behind them. "You will cease questioning me in public," he ordered.

"Excuse me?"

"Bond mates should want the same goals. To achieve those goals they must present a united front, be enough a part of each other that there is no division between their opinions."

"Are you trying to tell me that I'm supposed to agree with you on everything?"

"In public, yes."

Keri shook her head. "Forget it."

"Keridwen…"

"Lewis, get over it. I am your bond mate and your lover. I am not your possession…" she began.

"Actually," he interrupted. "You are." He shrugged. "By our traditions."

She blinked and counted to ten…and then to twenty before she calmed down. Born a typical redhead in that respect, she had learned at a very young age to stop and think things out before exploding…and occasionally even remembered to do so. "Okay, you're obviously angry at me because I'm not following those rules that you've never explained to me, right?"

Lewis exhaled noisily. "Keridwen, it is less about rules than tradition. It's not something one thinks about, but what one knows. I realize you do not know, but…" he shook his head and dropped down to sit on the bed. He looked distinctly exasperated, and totally at a loss.

Keri sat down; carefully making sure it was on his left, and snuggled up to him. "If you don't want me to question things in public, then you need to make sure we talk about them in private. I can't just sit by and let something be wrong. You know that. We wouldn't be here if I could."

He snorted and pulled her back with him into the bed. "Relax," he told her as she started to pull away. "I'm in full control."

"Okay." She followed him and moved into his arms once he was settled.

"My annoyance with Alexa has nothing to do with our blood relationship."

"Oh, come on. That dramatic exit was a pretty damn strong reaction for it to be anything else," Keri scoffed.

Lewis frowned at her. "You don't understand. I had no father-daughter relationship with Alexa. It is the student-teacher relationship that she betrayed."

"And Tom?"

"Ah, Tom," he sighed. "He was also my student…and more. We both lost most of our immediate families during the turning point. One of Tom's birth-sibs and his mother survived. My mother and all of my birth-sibs were lost."

"What about your fathers?"

"What about them? We were both born of required pairings, we never really knew them." Lewis' brows rose as she stroked his face. "Keridwen, our family dynamics…"

"Are very different, yes, I know. It just seems so sad to me. I guess you can't miss what you never had, but…I just can't imagine it." She sighed. "So did losing your family bring you and Tom closer?"

"He came to me for training a few years earlier than most students. I usually get the males at fourteen or fifteen, after their first few matings. Tom was eleven."

"First _few_? At fourteen or fifteen?"

"Yes. Keridwen, Alexa is thirty-three. She was a product of my first mating."

"Then you were, like thirteen when she was conceived? Holy shit."

"Our females are reproductively mature by age ten. Our males by age twelve. Generally we don't allow breeding for females until age twelve, and then only when that particular line needs the births. There have been rare exceptions when a female has been bred as soon as she is capable. Otherwise they have their first mating at fourteen, when the rest of their body reaches full maturity."

Keri shuddered. "Pregnant at ten gives new meaning to the term 'babies having babies."

"Yes. My female students are either barren, or are not sent to the program until they have contributed at least once, preferably twice, to the gene pool. That means I get most of them at age eighteen. Alexa came to me at twenty-one. Because my line was decimated by the betrayal, she bore three sets of offspring before she was released to her choice of program."

"So you choose what you want to be?"

"Bondless females who have contributed offspring choose as they have already made a significant contribution to our people. All others are assigned based on their talents and natures and the needs of the programs. Of course, the females must be qualified for what they choose, but many of our programs have similar requirements."

"And if they don't qualify for any of them?"

"They do. Some programs are as simple as training to provide childcare. Also they can choose to enter a standard educational program, one of your universities."

"So these women don't have bond mates, right?" He nodded. "So there's no one they have to agree with in public?"

Lewis chuckled. "Certainly. Their trainer is always right in public."

"Ah, but isn't a male's trainer also always right in public?"

"Of course."

"So following that logic, if you're always right in public, then so am I," she crowed.

... ...

This was not going as planned, Lewis thought. It was definitely one of those times he wished that his mate was not quite so intelligent and that she was far more accommodating.

"Or is this a male ego thing?" she continued.

"It is not about ego at all, it is about the bond." He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "There have been a few times…other than sexually…that we have been fully in synch. Or have you not noticed?"

"I've noticed."

"That's the way the bond is supposed to be all the time."

"Well, you know how it is…"

"Keridwen, don't say it. I have not the patience to listen to you blame this on your being sapiens…or on anything else that you have decided I think is a failing. I am trying to see things from your point of view. I have accommodated your feelings, your need for reassurance, and your squeamishness. This time, you must accommodate my need."

She sighed, climbed to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'll try. But we're going to have to work on some signals for when I absolutely need to question something. Damn," she muttered. "You know what the problem is? You've spent most of your life giving orders and having them obeyed, and I've spent most of mine refusing to take orders. Not exactly a match made in heaven."

"I don't believe in heaven."

"No? Hmm." Keridwen settled down on his lap and tucked her face into his neck. He gathered her in his arms and nuzzled her cheek. "I do," she said. "Right here and right now."

He shook his head. She was the only person he knew that could render him speechless.

"We really do have to work on those signals," she sighed.

"Send it through the bond."

"How?"

"Just think it, feel it. I'll know. That's part of what the bond does."

Keridwen sat up straight and stared at him. "_Now_, you tell me."

By the time they returned downstairs, Mark, Jeff, and Alexa were closeted in the study with the doctor and a new arrival. Lewis had frowned and muttered something about 'masking'. He'd paced; growing more annoyed by the second. Keri decided that she had better do something before he did.

She got up and walked up to the man standing in front of the doors. "You need to move," she told him.

He stared at her dispassionately. "I have my orders."

"What good will your orders do when Lewis decides to go through you?" she asked sweetly as she thought furiously at Lewis to play along.

Lewis smiled…an appropriately nasty smile…and took a few menacing steps towards the guard. The guard took two steps towards the apparent threat and didn't react quickly enough when Keri slipped behind him and threw open the doors.

"Hello!" she said cheerfully to Mark, Jeff, Alexa, and two people she didn't know. Alexa jumped up and strode to the door to check on the guard, relaxing when she saw both the guard and Lewis intact and nowhere near each other. "Don't blame him," Keri continued. "I psyched him out." She pulled another chair up to the desk and sat down. "So, what are we discussing?"

Jeff covered his eyes with one hand and groaned. Mark simply stared at her. The man she didn't know laughed out loud. "This is Keri Ashton, I take it?" he asked the room in general.

Looking out between his fingers, Jeff said, "Yes."

Still chuckling, the man said, "Poetic justice. Only Lewis would bond with a female more audacious than even _he_ is."

"Hello, Robert," Lewis said from behind her. "Have all my chameleons chosen coexistence?" His voice was light, but the hands that rested on her shoulders were tense.

"No," Robert answered. "Just the exceptional ones." He looked at the guard who had followed Lewis into the room. "Bring another chair. This is Carla Richard, the faction's top physician," Robert introduced.

"I'm familiar with your work," Lewis told the doctor.

"Robert has a report that we had planned to share with you," Mark interjected. He was not quite able to suppress reproach in his tone.

"Ah, good. Then we are right on time." Lewis noted that his mate was sitting quietly. Considering the 'damage' she had already done, that showed excellent judgment.

"I not only saw, but spoke with Tom Daniels yesterday," Robert said. "We know who has him; we know the overall facility layout and the security precautions. Unfortunately I cannot pinpoint the location of the facility with any degree of accuracy. They transported us in a closed vehicle and made the trip confusing enough to overwhelm even our direction sense." He leaned on the desk. "I know this seems discouraging, but based on my starting point, we can narrow down our search area to about a seventy-five mile radius, and much of that is over water."

"What is your central point?" Lewis asked.

"The facility they had me report to was a few miles outside of Watsonville."

"I can better that by at least half," Keridwen grinned.

"How?"

"That's where they had Lewis. While I was there, Dani left for less than an hour and a half. Judging by what she was saying on the phone when she had me report to her, she had gone to another facility and had left there abruptly when someone tattled that I had ordered a doctor to treat him. I heard her say, 'I apologize for not informing you of my departure; I had a situation to deal with'. Then she paused to listen and said 'I'll be back to personally inspect our new acquisition in the morning'."

Lewis did a few calculations. "That cuts it down to a thirty-five mile radius based on the available highways and such in that area."

"Yep, and that's taking into account that she probably told her driver to hurry on the way back, which, considering how pissed she was with me is almost guaranteed."

Robert grinned. "And we still have nearly a third of that area over water. This shouldn't take long at all."

Mark took charge of the discussion, pulled a map up on his computer, assigned search teams, and began to print out map grids. Lewis noticed that he and Keridwen were not included in the search. He looked at his mate who was sitting and staring at nothing, a far off expression on her face.

"Salinas," she said suddenly.

"What?" several of them asked at once.

Keridwen blinked. "I think it's in Salinas. There's a fairly major highway, a municipal airport. It's within ten miles or so of the coast, very convenient. Besides," she shrugged. "I have a hunch."

Jeffery spoke up. "Trust Keri's hunches."

"All right," Mark agreed. "We search Salinas first."

... ...

Robert, who had come over to introduce himself to her as Robert Stevens, another of Lewis' most trusted chameleons, left them to dispatch the search team. Mark invited the remaining group to make themselves comfortable. Keri had returned to the loveseat that she and Lewis had occupied earlier, and after hesitating a bit, he joined her.

"Perhaps this should wait until Tom has been retrieved," he suggested.

"No. I think this has gone on long enough. I don't particularly trust you as it is, let alone knowing that a memory block could be triggered at any moment and endanger us all," Mark told him.

Lewis nodded reluctantly and settled back.

"I think the best way to go about this is for us to discuss what happened…the turning point, the betrayal, and the times that followed. You begin, and I'll fill in the parts that are blocked."

"Um, won't that just trigger whatever it is that made his heart stop last time?" Keri asked.

"Not necessarily. There has been a major change to his system since then. The bond," he clarified at her puzzled look. "A mating bond causes both physiological and psychological changes in our people. It might have affected the block enough to bypass the shut down order, but then again, it might not have. That is why we have the doctor here, as well as the four of us."

"We should not do this with Keridwen within range," Lewis told them. "It's too dangerous. She cannot be risked."

"She may be what will allow you to survive it," Mark retorted. "If you both go down, we can handle it. We have two crash carts here, and besides Carla, Jeffrey and I are also fully qualified to use them. Even Alexa is proficient in CPR on both our own people and on sapiens." He sighed. "That is the least of our worries."

Lewis frowned. Keri could feel his annoyance as he admitted, "I don't understand."

Mark looked him straight in the eye. "Lewis, there is only one reason that someone such as you would be subjected to a memory block. That would be to remove your memory of something that caused you to either be totally non-functional or to be a danger to yourself or others."

"Can we re-think this?" Keri asked. Mark gave her an oddly compassionate look…a total contrast to his usual neutral expression.

"Keri, if we don't handle this block under controlled circumstances, one day you yourself _will_ trigger it. Then what would you do?"

Keri swallowed, remembering their description of Marjorie. It was possible. Half asleep, or ill like he had been with the fever, he could mistake her for Marjorie…just because it hadn't triggered the block the last time it had happened… "Okay. I guess you're right."

"Lewis, why don't you tell us what you remember of the events leading up to the gathering," Mark suggested.

"Of course. We had been hiding in plain sight for as long as anyone could remember, but the new medical advances had made it more and more difficult. It had become necessary to slow down or misdirect some of those advances to buy time to find a more permanent solution to our problem."

"My parents were killed just to buy time?" Keri blurted out before she could stop herself.

... ...

"Most likely, my own," Lewis took her hands in his. "I am sorry." She sighed quietly and nodded. "The council was of the opinion that since the sapiens could not even accept the diverse races of their own species, that they would not be able to accept us. But then, in America, things began to change. America began making anti-discrimination laws. Certainly the average citizen still discriminated and blatantly, but it was no longer legal for them to do so. The council began to hope that the American government could be approached, and that they would be able to assure our safety and enable us to go public, so to speak. A number of senators, congressmen and flag officers with strong records on human rights were quietly approached, and they agreed to meet with our representatives."

"One of those senators was Grant Ashton. Do you remember that?"

"What? No, no I don't." He felt distress through the bond. When he looked at Keridwen, she had paled and was watching him anxiously. "You are not your grandfather's keeper, Keridwen," he told her. "You have neither blame nor responsibility for this."

"I know. But I still feel badly about it."

He nodded and continued. "They wanted not only to meet with our leaders, but with some of our family groups. It was assumed that they wouldn't understand about required pairings and group parenting, so it was decided to ask bonded mates to volunteer."

"Do you know who those volunteers were, Lewis?" Mark asked.

"Of course. It was…" he broke off, confused. "I, no. I know that I should…but that information is gone."

Mark nodded. Lewis felt Keridwen slip a hand back into one of his. "You were one of those volunteers, Lewis," Mark told him.

"No. I wasn't…I didn't have…" his breath caught in his throat. All of the half-remembered parts of the bond suddenly made sense. He had been part of a bonded pair. But what had happened to his mate? Who was his mate? He looked at Keridwen. Tears gleamed in her eyes. Suddenly her features seemed to shift. The face he couldn't see the last time he had tried to breach the block formed. She had green-hazel eyes and a serene smile. Then it was gone and his Keridwen sat beside him again. He looked up at Mark. "Who?"

"Her name was Marjorie, Marjorie Barnes. She was Paul's birth-sib."

"What happened to her?" he ground out.

"Let's go on and see if you can remember naturally."

"We had children, we must have, or we wouldn't have been asked." He fought for control and felt Keridwen opening up to him, lending him her strength. He flashed gratitude to her, and squeezed her fingers gently.

"You had four. Cassandra, Melissa, Michael, and Charles."

Lewis began to shake again. He could not shut down the involuntary reaction. He could _see_ the children; he could _hear_ their voices in his head. And he could _feel_ Marjorie's absurd pride in the two girls. "What _happened_ to them?" he demanded.

"**_Continue_**," Mark said; using an arbiter trained command tone.

"We met with the sapiens. They promised us sanctuary. A news conference was planned. We were to gather our people and they would be given US citizenship. Our people had already started gathering in Oaxaca at a village that our Hispanic contingent had abandoned maybe a decade earlier because of a drastic environmental change. I remember…I remember…" he broke off as the memories flooded over him.

Marjorie was talking to Senator Ashton, introducing their daughters. She had totally forgotten about her sons, again. Producing two daughters was unusual enough to be a source of pride. He stepped up and introduced himself and the boys.

The senator was charming. He spoke to the children and shook hands with Lewis and his mate before moving on to the next group. Lewis remembered feeling strength in the senator's aura and thinking that he must be somewhat gifted. He had thought that augured well for them. He couldn't have been more wrong.

Soon enough the appointed day for the news conference arrived. Over ten thousand of their people had gathered in Oaxaca. While it was only a bit more than ten percent of their total numbers, they were still an impressive sight…for once full of hope at the sound of helicopters approaching over the mountains to the north. Then those helicopters came into view.

They were not the promised news teams; they were military transports and gun ships that began firing as soon as they came into range. People were screaming, running…there were only two places to go…into the caves to be trapped, or into the desert to be run down like animals.

Lewis had grabbed Marjorie and the children, and shoved them into a half-collapsed building where they would have shelter from the strafing, but would not be trapped when the soldiers came to ground. He dashed out into the chaos and grabbed Tom, his mother and a few others as they ran by and pushed them into the tumbled remains of another building. The soldiers were pouring down ropes from helicopters still in the air and charging out of others that had landed.

He emerged again to see the soldiers entering the building where he had left…his mate!

... ...

Lewis abruptly stood, shouting for Marjorie. Keri gasped at the abject terror and horror he was feeling. She stood and tried to talk to him, but he stared right through her. Her chest began to constrict…she began to struggle for breath. Lewis collapsed into Mark's arms; she didn't think he was breathing. She tried to go to him…but she couldn't move, couldn't breathe…

**ELSEWHERE**

Danielle listened to Foster's report with ill-disguised impatience. It was more of the same; leads found and lost… still with no solid clues as to where Lewis had taken Keri. Her grandfather had raised the reward to twenty-five thousand dollars but the latest calls had not resulted in any firm sightings. As Foster continued to drone on, a sharp cracking sound and the tinkle of crystal caught their attention. Danielle shivered.

She got up and went over to the shelf where she had hung the necklace that she had found in Dr. Lam's cold grasp. The sterling chain with several pendant crystals and a center spike of natural amethyst had been almost perpetually worn around Keri's neck since the day she had walked out of Harvard in 1982. The bottom half of the amethyst crystal was now lying on the shelf, several inches below the piece that was still held by the wrapped band of silver.

Danielle carefully picked up the fallen shard, removed the necklace from its hook, and returned to her desk. She stared at it for several long minutes before she remembered Foster. "You can stop looking for Lewis and Keri together," she told him. "Lewis will be alone." She swallowed and met her top agent's troubled eyes. "Send word out to the morgues to watch for Keri's body."

For once he didn't ask any stupid questions. He nodded, picked up his files, and left. She looked back down at the broken crystal. "Damn it, Keri," she swore. "You _had_ to be compassionate. Look where it's gotten you." She blinked rapidly, trying to deny the wetness in her eyes.

"And what the _hell _am I going to tell grandfather?" Nothing, she decided. The old man was eighty-three and even he knew his life was winding down. He'd already informed the party that he would not be running for reelection. Danielle sighed. She'd let the old fool hold onto his hope for as long as he could. He'd passed the torch of responsibility for eradicating his 'hidden ones' to her long ago, knowing that Keri would never have the stomach for it. She would not fail him. They would pay for killing her parents…and for Keri.


	3. Chapter 3

Keri's throat hurt. So did her chest. For that matter, everything hurt. But somehow, she felt safe, secure. She decided to open her eyes and realized that it was taking an effort. Her eyes finally opened, and the reason for the safe and secure feeling became apparent. She was lying in bed with Lewis, cradled against his side. Keri gasped as she remembered what had happened.

"How are you feeling?" Alexa asked.

She looked toward the voice and struggled to focus. Alexa's golden brown hair and startling blue eyes finally stopped swimming in front of her. "Terrible," Keri croaked. "What happened?"

"Let me go tell Mark that you're awake, okay?"

"Sure."

Keri looked at Lewis. He was pale and still. His heart was beating and he was breathing, but both seemed a bit…off. The eyelids that ended in pale, almost transparent lashes fluttered ceaselessly. She turned to face the door as it opened again to admit Mark and Dr. Richard.

"You're looking much better," the doctor told her as she pulled out a stethoscope and warmed it in her hands. Keri tried to breathe evenly as her heart was listened to.

"I don't feel better, doctor."

"Call me Carla, please. If we used titles around here we'd be doctoring each other half to death."

"Okay. Thank you, Carla. How am I?"

"Well, Keri, I think that you'll be just fine with a little rest."

Keri frowned. Evidently she had asked the wrong question. "How _was_ I?"

Carla shook her head and moved around to the other side of the bed. "Mark, why don't you explain while I check on Lewis?"

"The shut down order was triggered, Keri. Lewis' lungs and heart both ceased functioning. You were caught in it, and you shut down as well. Fortunately, you were not the one programmed, so we were able to restore your breathing and normal sinus rhythm very quickly."

"And Lewis?"

"My worst suspicion proved to be correct." Mark sighed and pulled up a chair. "After Lewis saw the soldiers moving into the building where he had hidden his mate and children, he charged in to save them. No one knows exactly what happened inside, but the battle spilled out of it. Lewis was unarmed, fighting eight or nine sapiens soldiers, and winning. They couldn't get a shot off at him and I don't know why they weren't able to bring him down with hand weapons. Once they were dead he moved on to others, fighting like a Berserk. Which, in a way, he was."

"The only reason any of us survived is because Lewis began cutting a path through the soldiers. That broke us out of our shock and horror and inspired us to fight back…all of us, even the children. This allowed the main force of the soldiers to get close enough to us to realize that they were killing unarmed civilians, and that the majority of those civilians were women and children. Many of the soldiers lost heart, broke ranks, and retreated."

"We found out much later that the soldiers did not know who or what they were attacking. One of the soldiers in the front lines shot down a child at point blank range then realized just what he had done. He backed into a set of ruins and dropped into a corner, horrified. This man was still in tears when we discovered him. Their mission, or so they thought, was to decimate a well-equipped army of terrorists that were planning to sneak up through Mexico and into the United States to wreak havoc and open the US up for further attack by unfriendly forces."

"None of the soldiers we found alive knew how many troops had been committed to this effort. We counted four hundred of their bodies. Our own dead numbered nearly nine thousand. If this had indeed been all of us, as we had allowed the US officials to believe, it would have been enough to destroy us. There were not enough females of breeding age left among the survivors to rebuild."

"But that _wasn't_ all of you," Keri said.

"No. At that time we had closer to a hundred thousand people. We didn't tell the US officials this because we felt the number would appall them. We understood their immigration problems and knew that would be brought up as a reason to refuse us."

"How many of you are there now?"

Mark frowned thoughtfully. "About a million as of our last records update." He smiled at her surprise. "Our females generally have four children per birthing…did you know they have four uteri?"

"Oh my god. No. Those four children…they were all from one pregnancy?"

"Yes. Lewis and Marjorie had been bonded for nearly six years. They had been assigned as a pairing and had bonded during it. There had been complications so they had decided not to attempt a second conception."

"What about the imperative?" Keri asked.

"That only affects a bonded couple until the first birthing. The mother's hormonal changes at that time somehow shut it down."

"Oh. So what happened when the soldiers were gone?"

"I didn't see Lewis again for years. We did find the bodies, though. Marjorie had been cut down by gunfire, the children were behind her…it looked to have been done at nearly point blank range, and the bullets tore through her and into the children."

"How did Lewis survive that?"

"I'd always wondered about that myself. Now I know. He didn't survive it."

Keri looked over at Lewis. "Uh…"

Mark sighed. "You've been told that when one member of a bonded pair dies, the other either dies from the physical shock, or the psychic trauma breaks their mind. Lewis was a young man at the peak of fitness. He had been training with the chameleon program for nearly ten years at that point. For a comparison you might understand, this happened just a few years after he had infiltrated the SEALs and passed their physical requirements. His body survived, but his mind snapped. It appears that when that happened he began attacking anything within reach."

"Memory blocking was a relatively new technique the chameleon program had developed in order to safeguard strategic information in the event of capture; though it had always been used as a temporary measure. Somehow they stopped him, knocked him out I would imagine, sedated him before he regained consciousness, and then blocked all his memories of Marjorie and the children. The shut down order had to be intended to protect everyone else from him should the block be breached."

Keri sobbed and turned around to wrap her arms around Lewis. She let the tears flow, the horror of what he had gone through pressed against her consciousness as though it had physical weight. "At least it's over now," she mumbled against his shoulder.

There was an uncomfortable silence. No one spoke up to assure her that it was indeed over. Keri sat up. "Isn't it?"

Mark sighed. "Keri, once we restored Lewis' heartbeat and breathing, he attacked us. He was totally without reason. We had to sedate him, heavily, in order to take him down without doing him a serious injury. Fortunately we were prepared to do just that."

"Oh, god."

... ...

Mark watched the woman carefully. Her face was blank with shock and he could not read past her shields. While he would have preferred to give her time to cope with the situation, they did not have it to spare. One way or another they had to deal with Lewis before they left to extract Tom.

"Keri, you need to make a decision," he told her.

"About what?" she asked woodenly.

"You have two choices as to what we can do about Lewis." Mark shifted uncomfortably. He knew that as Lewis' bond mate Keri was not going to appreciate his recommendation. "First, you can try to bring him out of this."

"Okay, how do I do that?"

Dr. Richard spoke up. "You need to go into his mind, using the bond, and use yourself as an anchor. When a bond is broken, it is as though one's center is suddenly ripped away, and the conscious mind drifts apart. You must remind him that he has a center…you…and pull the scattered parts of his consciousness back together again."

"Let's do it."

"Keri, that is one option, and quite frankly not the one we recommend," Mark told her.

"Why not?"

"It is dangerous. If you are not strong enough to anchor him and hold yourself together as well, you will be lost."

"Mark, I don't have much choice here, I love Lewis, and I'm his mate. I can't leave him like this."

"You have another choice." Mark sighed heavily. He looked to Alexa and Carla for support. Carla nodded; Alexa stepped up and took Keri's hands in her own.

"Keri, we can put you on a plane to Europe. Once you arrive, you would call us, and we will put an end to his suffering. You would be far enough away that there would be no danger to you."

... ...

"What? You mean…oh my god! No!" Keri cried, yanking her hands away. She turned her back on them and stared at Lewis. Reaching out, she brushed the red dyed hair back from his forehead and sobbed, burying her face in his neck. She could feel the others' discomfort.

"Keri, we realize that this is difficult for you," Carla said. "Choosing to give up one's bonded mate is a terrible thing. But the chances of your being able to help him are very small. Regardless of your gifts, the sapiens mind is simply not equipped to handle the stress that would be brought to bear on it. It is your choice, but if you fail, we will be forced to put you both down."

"Carla," Mark said in a strained voice. "You are the expert in such matters, what if Keri's mind is not that of a sapiens?"

"That could make a difference. Is she one of the partially adapted?" Keri looked up at them, struggling to focus through her tears.

"No, not exactly. Her gifts do not match ours; they parallel them…and then go beyond them." He met Keri's eyes. "Our scientists did a thorough DNA analysis based on a sample Jeffrey provided two years ago. He is rather strongly gifted, and felt that you were stronger yet. That bore investigating." He shifted as she frowned at him. "We believe that you are a new adaptation. One that includes the PSI abilities that have become stable in our species, but takes them a step further along the evolutionary path."

"But I can't do the other things you do, and I sure as hell don't have four uteri."

Mark smiled. "No. You only have the PSI related differences. Our species is young, there are still spontaneous cases of partial adaptations, either physical or PSI related, born to sapiens parents."

"Oh." She didn't really understand, but this wasn't the time to ask.

"She won't have the physical strength to support her mind, though," Carla mused. "Still, that gives her a much better chance than I thought. Perhaps a one in ten chance of succeeding, and a one in four chance of surviving if she does not succeed."

"It doesn't matter. I've got to try. If I don't, I'll never forgive myself. Can you tell me how to do this? We've been kind of busy and I really don't know all that much about how the bond works."

... ...

Keri sighed as she settled herself down beside Lewis. Even Carla, who was supposed to be their greatest authority on mating bonds, hadn't been able to give her much in the way of advice. Not only didn't things like this happen very often, but also each bond was different and was realized within the psyche differently depending on the personalities of the individuals involved. Carla's statistics on the survival and success rates had been chilling. Even when both bond mates were dominant, the survival rate was only half. Only one third of all attempts succeeded in restoring the downed partner. Keri was going to have to find a way to improve her much poorer odds.

She took Lewis' hand in her own and focused. Before looking for a way to enter his consciousness through the bond, she opened a channel to the universal energies she used for psychic healing. Pulling in white light never hurt, and it just might make things a good bit easier. She'd stabilized manic-depressives for months on end using it, and it had also helped the combat vets with PTSD. Hopefully it would help Lewis.

The light flowed into her and she looked for the bond. It was there, but incredibly weakened. She mentally pushed her way towards it and _saw_ it grow into a chaotic portal. Somehow she knew that it was normally a calm and serene channel. Taking a deep mental breath, Keri entered.

She felt as though she was standing, untouched, in the middle of a tornado. Wind whipped everywhere; shapeless forms were tossed around and slammed down over and over again. The strange thing was that she couldn't hear the wind over another noise. It took her many long minutes to identify the other sound as a primal scream.

Keri tried to use the scream to choose a direction, but it seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Shrugging, she arbitrarily chose a direction and began to walk. After what seemed like miles, she realized her mistake. This wasn't a physical place; it was a created by the mind. She sat down, focused, and willed herself to Lewis' side.

The scream abruptly stopped as her surroundings changed. Keri looked around cautiously. She appeared to be in an open plain…no, a desert. There were rocks and ruins. Heartbroken sobs came from one of the collapsed buildings. Keri ducked to enter through the broken doorway. She could smell blood, and an acrid scent she couldn't name but had always associated with gunfire.

A young man who was still unmistakably Lewis knelt on the barren ground; his arms stretched around something that Keri could not see. She reached out to touch his shoulder and at the moment of contact, the scene shifted. Lewis was carefully holding a woman with dark red hair in one arm. She had nearly been cut in two by close range fire from an assault weapon of some kind. His other arm cradled the bodies of four young children. Keri felt tears spring from her eyes. He had seen this, experienced it, no wonder he was so tormented.

She backed away and the vision held. Dead soldiers lay scattered around Lewis and his family. All had been killed without any weapon other than what nature had given him. The sound of gunfire echoed close outside the entrance to the ruined house. Boots slammed against the stones and more soldiers poured into the room. They moved around Keri, otherwise ignoring her existence. One of them raised a weapon…

... ...

Alexa jumped as Keri screamed. Carla rushed over, pushing her and Mark out of the way, and checked Keri's breathing and heart rate. "She's okay," she announced. "This isn't unusual. She's seeing whatever it is that has Lewis trapped in there."

Settling back down in her chair, Alexa shuddered. They'd been watching Keri and Lewis for hours. Carla had explained that time had no meaning in the psyche; and that a few seconds could seem like hours and visa versa. There was no way to know how long it would take. She had, however, attached brain wave monitors to both of them. If Keri's patterns changed to match Lewis' and stayed there, then they would know that Keri had been lost.

She looked up as Jeffrey walked in. "How is it going?" he asked.

"Well, she's not lost yet. I think that's all we know," Alexa told him. Carla nodded in agreement as she moved to inject Lewis with another dose of the sedative.

"Damn."

"How's your shoulder?" Alexa asked. It had been dislocated when they had struggled to sedate Lewis earlier.

"The pain has almost completely subsided. I'm a bit concerned about Robert's hand, though. He hasn't admitted it, but from the way he's moving it, he has a few broken fingers at the least. That's going to make it difficult for him to use a weapon, he is predominately right handed."

"I didn't know he had that disability."

"He compensates for it well. It's only the finer controls that he hasn't been able to force himself to at least become competent with in the left hand. He can shoot, but his aim will be considerably off."

Mark spoke up. "We'll have to have someone else lead the extraction team, then. Alexa, you are qualified…"

"Let's wait and see what happens here before we make any decision on that. If he's intact, there is no one more qualified than Lewis to lead it."

... ...

Lewis looked up as the woman screamed. He had sensed her behind him and had felt her touch, but he knew that she was not an enemy. How he knew this, he had no idea. More soldiers had arrived; more of those who had taken his Marjorie, his children, his life. He launched himself at the one who was targeting him, and using him as a fulcrum, kicked out at the others nearby.

He heard one neck snap as his foot connected. The other ducked back in time to avoid that fate, but was still knocked unconscious. His right hand shot up to impact the jaw of the man whose body he had used as leverage to expand his attack. Two dead, one down and out. As he moved on to the others he stomped his foot down on the unconscious one, crushing his throat.

More soldiers poured in through the half-collapsed doorway. "No!" he heard the woman cry out. "This is _not_ real. This is only a memory. **_Go away_**!" Her last two words were shouted in a close approximation of command tone. The room was suddenly empty save for him and the woman.

"Marjorie!" he yelled. "What have you done with my mate?"

"Lewis, nothing, I swear to you," she said.

He glared at her, probed, and knew that she spoke the truth. The soldiers were gone and he no longer heard the sound of battle outside. He forced himself to speak calmly. "What happened? Where did it all go?"

The woman sighed and sat down on a rock that he could swear hadn't been there a few minutes ago. "Lewis, it was never here. We aren't in Oaxaca. Please sit down." She gestured to another rock that seemed to have appeared out of nothing. One corner of her bow shaped mouth turned up into a sad sort of grin. "Hmm, I seem to be getting the hang of this."

"Who are you?" he asked as he sat. "Where did you come from?"

"Well, looking at you I'd say I'm from what you would perceive as the future." She chuckled softly. "Damn, and I thought you were gorgeous at forty-seven. You were downright beautiful at twenty-four."

Were? Perceive? _Forty-seven_? "Explain," he demanded.

"Hmm, still every bit as arrogant, though. _That_ hasn't changed." She smiled at him and shook her head. "Lewis, my name is Keridwen. Does that sound at all familiar to you?"

He frowned. It did, though he had no idea why.

"Marjorie, your mate, was murdered twenty-three years ago in Oaxaca, at the gathering when the US officials betrayed you and sent soldiers instead of newscasters."

He stiffened, rage shooting through him…then her full statement registered. "Twenty-three years ago?"

"Yes. This is some sort of, I don't know, memory pocket, I'd guess you could call it. When your mate was killed, your mind was damaged. The chameleon program used a memory block of some kind to restore you. This is one of the things they blocked away, and it looks like part of you has been trapped in here with the memory ever since then."

"Marjorie…the children…"

"Are dead. And have been, for twenty-three years."

"Then I should be dead. My bond mate is dead."

"No, she's not."

"But…"

"Lewis, you survived with a memory block. And recently, you claimed another as your bond mate." She stood and walked over to him and held out her hands. He found himself taking them, and standing with her. "Me," she told him and he knew that it was true.

... ...

I don't like this," Carla said as she checked the readout. "The signals have been matching for nearly a half hour now."

"Have we lost them?" Alexa asked. She was surprised that the possibility saddened her.

"Maybe. It's hard to tell." The doctor looked up at them. "We should certainly give it a great deal more time, but if there is no change in a few hours…"

"Understood," Mark said quietly. Alexa thought she detected a note of sadness in the arbiter's normally neutral voice as well.

"Is there nothing we can do?" Jeffrey asked.

"No. Go get some rest for that shoulder. That's an order," Carla told him as he hesitated. He nodded, his expression resigned, and left.

"Alexa, why don't you get some rest as well? We need you at full strength in case we have to move quickly on the extraction," Mark suggested.

"All right, I'll stop in and check on Robert…if he really has broken those fingers I'll _convince_ him to have them looked at."

Mark nodded at her and turned to focus again on Keri and Lewis.

... ...

She had barely reached the stairwell when she met Robert heading the other way. He looked excited, to say the least. "We've found them!" he told her.

"Them? Oh, you mean the facility?"

"No, Attwood and Peterson, they've been looking for Tom, too. They also believe he's in Salinas and had the idea that this facility is hidden within a legitimate business. We had just about given up on Keri's hunch. Is Mark still with them?"

"Yes. And he knows about your fingers, I suggest you ask Carla to look at them the minute you walk in there if you want to avoid being ordered to do so."

"Fine. Oh, how is it going?"

Alexa sighed. "We really don't know…but it isn't looking good at the moment."

... ...

Keri sighed and took Lewis into a gentle embrace. "I know this is difficult. But you have to put the past behind you. You have a life to go back to. You have me. Please don't leave me out there alone."

His hands moved to encircle her. He was shaking, but managed to return her hug. "I remember. It's strange, like I'm seeing a vision of the future, but I do know it's a memory."

He appeared to be aging before her eyes. The walls of the ruin melted away, the desert sands started to blow away in the returning tornado. "Lewis, hold onto me, whatever you do, don't let go!" she yelled over the howling winds she could now hear. Keri tightened her grip on him, he still appeared to be aging; he now looked about thirty-five. The hair was still golden, there were slight groves at the edges of his eyes and around his mouth…he was still beautiful.

Then the winds tried to force them apart, the shapeless forms slipped between them and pushed, ripping at their hair and limbs. "Keridwen!" Lewis yelled. "Save yourself!"

"No, damn it! You are going to stay with me. No heroics, no self sacrifice. I figured it out finally. I know what you were going to do. Forget it! You made me a promise and you sure as _hell _are going to keep it!"

Lewis laughed. He looked to be around forty now, his hair a silvery blonde. "You have never been a particularly agreeable mate!" he shouted.

Keri had to smile at that. Strength still flowed into her from…oh shit; she had forgotten that she had opened up a connection with the universal energies! She pulled on the connection and the power of it rushed through to surround them like a shield. The tornado still raged, but the forms within it were no longer able to get a grip. Some of them seemed to be solidifying in the winds.

"Lewis!" a voice called. They turned as one to face it. Keri gasped. What appeared to be a whole and healthy Marjorie stood untouched by the tornado, holding her arms out to him. "Don't leave me!"

"Marjorie?"

"No, Lewis, she's just a memory, dead and buried twenty-three years. _I_ am your mate now. She has nothing to offer you but oblivion!"

He turned to face her. "But that would mean no more pain. I could forget that I failed her." His eyes were wet with tears.

"Oh, Lewis. You didn't fail her. You did everything you could to protect her against overwhelming odds. It wasn't your fault."

Lewis stared at her, disbelief warring with hope in his eyes. "But the pain?"

"I can't make it go away, not completely. But I can give you something that she can't. Love. Mine for now, our child's for when it's safe for us to have one. Lewis, please stay with me. You claimed me; I'm yours. To provide for, to cherish…"

"Mine to protect," he agreed. "Always," Lewis said out loud.

**ELSEWHERE**

Walter Attwood's eyes darted from face to face from behind the anonymity of the dark tinted glass, examining, weighing. He was betting that behind the walls of the Coast Medical Supply Company, a more sinister facility lurked. He smiled to himself at his use of the words 'sinister' and 'lurked'. He'd been reading too many trashy detective novels, he decided. Ah well, considering they were his only true vice, it could be worse.

Ray had gone inside, posing as a man setting up his home to accommodate his newly invalid mother-in-law. While Walter had great faith in the former homicide detective's instincts, he still watched the employees as they went about their tasks in the loading area. He might recognize someone out of place by the way the behaved or moved…or he might just recognize someone outright. My, this was their lucky day.

... ...

The cell phone began to ring as Ray was discussing the merits of an electric adjustable bed versus a manual one. "Excuse me," he told the earnest young woman and took a few steps away. "Yeah," he said quietly into the phone.

"Ray, I've got something solid, you can shut down your end," Walter told him.

"Great, that's just…great." Ray looked at the sales clerk…ah, associate apologetically. "Okay dear, I'll come right home." He hit the end button and returned the phone to his jacket. "Looks like my mother-in-law had a bit of a setback. She won't be released this week after all. Thank you so much for your time." He took the proffered business card and promised to call if the situation changed, then hurried out the automatic sliding glass door.

Walter didn't even give him a chance to get settled. "I saw two of Ashton's men driving into the far loading dock," Ray was told.

"Then this is it, your informant nailed it."

"Yes. Now we just have to find a way to protect him after we get Tom out of there. She'll know he was the leak."

"Yeah, well, maybe our new _friends_ can help with that too?" Ray asked.

Walter smiled. "Yes, David is going to learn more about the new species than he ever dreamed." Ray shook his head at the irony in the scientist's voice.


	4. Chapter 4

"Always," Lewis said, startling Mark out of a half-doze.

Mark reached the side of the bed a full second after Carla. She had efficiently checked all her monitors and was listening to Lewis' heart. Lewis was staring at her with a raised eyebrow. Mark looked down at Keri. Her face was peaceful, she was breathing normally but she didn't stir.

"She's fine," Lewis assured him. "Just exhausted." The older man sighed and laid his head back on the pillow. "Again." His mouth twisted in an annoyance that was plain to read. "I am _supposed_ to be protecting and caring for _her_," he muttered.

His own mouth twitching, Mark allowed himself to feel sympathy for Lewis. He was certain he would not appreciate having someone he considered softer and weaker taking all the risks for him either.

Carla shook her head as she straightened. "She did it. They're both fine. The brain waves diverged and Keri's went back to the pattern she had when I first hooked her up. Lewis' changed completely as expected for a successful reclamation." She stared at the other woman. "Your mate is an incredible talent, Lewis. My congratulations."

"Thank you." Lewis shifted to his side and looked carefully around the room before taking Keri into his arms. He settled her, stroked her cheek, and then looked up at Mark. "As soon as we've rested, you will review your security measures with me. I do not feel they are adequate."

Mark's brows rose in surprise. Lewis had done a cursory review of their security when they arrived. He'd pronounced it understaffed but efficient. He shrugged. The man now remembered losing one mate and was more sensitive to the possibility of losing another. It was understandable given the circumstances. "Of course. I'll likely be in my office. I'll have a watch at the door here for you while you rest."

"That would be appreciated."

... ...

Keri sighed contentedly as strong arms cradled her close to a warm, hard chest. She could feel Lewis' breath in her hair and the hum of his mind through the bond. He stroked her back as she stirred. All was well with her world.

Stretching, she opened her eyes to look at him and smiled. He returned her gaze passively, not smiling, no raised eyebrow, nothing. Her eyebrows shot up. "What's wrong?" she asked.

That, at least, got a reaction. His eyes darted quickly around the room; she could almost see his senses straining. "Nothing," he told her. "All is well."

"Okaaaay," she said cautiously. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. You are well, my own?"

"Sure. I'm great." She inched her way up to kiss his lips. They softened under hers, and his arms tightened around her as he returned it. Ah, that was much better. "Mmmm. Oh yeah, I'm feeling wonderful." She giggled as his mouth left hers and kissed and nibbled down her neck. His hands were moving too, unfastening clothing quickly and efficiently, and removing it almost without her notice, let alone assistance. She moaned as he made his way down her chest, to the large, soft globes, kneading them, laving their peaks with hot, wet strokes of his tongue. "Oh, god, yes."

"What do you want, Keridwen?" he asked silkily.

She blushed but managed to force out the words. "I want you to suck on them." He smiled and complied, suckling and biting until her nipples were hard and distended and the ache was echoed in her core. As his mouth pleasured her breasts his hands were moving lower, stroking and teasing the heated folds between her thighs. One finger, then two barely entered her canal, while his thumb pressed hard against her clitoris.

Keri writhed under his touch; her hips straining upward against his hand, reaching for the edge that beckoned so closely. He bit down on one nipple, hard, as his fingers plunged fully inside her. She shrieked and bucked, spasming in pleasure, then gasped as his fingers pulled away to be replaced by his hard cock. He pushed into her hot wetness, stretching her with his girth. Her legs had spread for him, she wasn't sure when, and he had pressed them back so that her thighs were angled close to her body. Those long lean fingers had taken up where his mouth had left off, squeezing and rubbing her sensitized nipples, feeding the flame that burned between them and her core.

She saw Lewis smile with satisfaction as she sobbed his name; he plunged in and out of her, stretching her further with every thrust, bearing down on her breasts with a thumb pressed into each hard peak. Finally she felt the bond snap fully open, the sensations doubling into dual perspective. His eyes closed with the pleasure of it. "Yes!" he hissed, picking up the pace of his penetrations.

Her focus narrowed, she felt both the invasion of his hard flesh and the clinging pressure of her hot wetness around it. Body rocking from the power of his thrusts, the inner explosions caught her again, carrying them both into a flow of liquid heat as his ejaculation and her secretions simultaneously filled and surrounded them. Keri lost all strength in her body as he continued to thrust deeply, his orgasm seeming to go on forever to her pleasure-sated consciousness.

Keri was not surprised to awake boneless in his arms. This time she knew she had passed out. Lewis was looking at her with concern. "Sorry 'bout that," she said with a tired smile. "You are just too damn good."

He frowned. "I'll adjust for you," he promised. "This is unnecessary."

"Unnecessary?" She was confused. "Does it ruin it for you when I faint?" she asked.

His brows shot up. "On the contrary."

"Then what's the problem? I'm happy, you're happy…" she trailed off. He did not look happy. "Lewis, talk to me."

He stroked her back and sighed. "I am concerned. Your sapiens physiology is not designed to handle the full release of dominant passions. It may be harmful."

"Damn, Lewis. If that's harmful I must be turning into a masochist. I'm fine. Sure, it overwhelms me for a bit, but that's all, unless you're not telling me something. Is my heart beating wrong or my breathing stopping, or…"

"No, not beyond what it should be at such a time."

"Okay. Then we don't have a problem."

Lewis frowned. "Perhaps not."

... ...

He had carried her into the bathroom after filling the oversized tub with hot scented water. The aromatherapy beads in the cabinet had been a welcome find. His people had made the beneficial effects of that science a part of their daily lives long before it became trendy with the sapiens to do so.

Keridwen had giggled when he had lowered both of them into the steaming bath and was resting languidly in his arms as he carefully lifted one of her legs from the water and soaped its length. He encouraged her to bend it at the knee, lathered up her foot, running his fingers between her longish toes.

She sighed and turned to kiss his neck. "I need a pedicure," she mumbled. I don't suppose it's safe for me to go get one?"

"Absolutely not."

"Damn. Guess the manicure is out as well." Her back arched as he massaged her foot. "Oh, but this is very, very nice. Can I keep you?"

Lewis laughed. "No, my own. But I shall certainly keep you."

He washed her other leg, then moved on to her arms, massaging her hands and pulling out the kinks in her slender fingers. She shivered as he leaned her forward to soap up her back then pulled her against his chest as his hands moved to her waist and breasts.

Her nipples were hard, peeking out of the soapy lather as his hands moved between her legs. Keridwen was moaning softly in his ear, whispering praise for the skill of his touch. Lewis reached under her knees, then spread and lifted them so that her lower legs were dangling over the edges of the antique reproduction claw-footed tub.

His fingers had free rein over her sex and took full advantage of it. She squirmed under the teasing touch, and the movements of her rounded buttocks against his groin completed the job anticipation had begun.

"God, Lewis. I want you again," she groaned.

Chuckling, he told her, "You should always want me, my mate."

Keridwen laughed and swatted at his upper arm. "I do, but…oh, you know what I mean!"

"Of course," he whispered into her ear as two fingers plunged suddenly into her ready canal. She used her legs to lift herself up into the thrusting, her urgent movements splashing water over the tub's edge. He allowed her to reach orgasm and collapse against him to rest. His arousal didn't register on her senses until after her breathing had settled.

Her head moved on his shoulder until she could look into his eyes. "What about you?" she asked, her voice sounding troubled.

He smiled, slowly then rose up out of the tub, lifting her with him.

She gasped. "Damn, I keep forgetting how much stronger you are than humans." Shaking her head she continued, "Until you pull something like this."

Lewis turned and sat on the edge of the enameled cast iron tub and lifted her to straddle him. She groaned as he entered her, her head dropping back briefly to expose that aristocratic length of neck. Both her arms and legs wrapped around him and she shivered deliciously at the touch of water-slicked skin on skin.

He guided her arms from his back to rest on his shoulders, and moved one leg at a time from his hips to rest each shin against the tub edge while his other arm supported her back. Keridwen's eyes grew wide as she realized that only his grasp around her waist and hers on his shoulders prevented her from falling backwards.

As she swallowed her fear, he felt her trust rush at him through the bond. His eyes narrowed as she began to ride him, flexing her strong legs to raise and lower herself on this thick staff. She groaned with each penetration, and when he realized she did not have the leverage to push herself fully down he shifted his grip to her hips.

With the next downslide he pulled her sharply against him. She shrieked, then began to ride him faster, keening his name each time he sheathed himself fully within her. Her eyes began to glaze as he felt her begin to rock and shudder with a powerful orgasm. He did not allow the bond to snap open. He wanted her to feel only that which he could give to her directly.

Finally his own climax approached. Keridwen was breathless; panting desperately as he suddenly stood and moved her against the wall. Bracing her back against it he thrust powerfully into her. Her eyelids fluttered and she moaned incoherent words into his ear as his seed filled her waiting womb.

After resting a moment, his face pressed against hers, Lewis carried his mate back to bed, tucked her in then returned to the bathroom to take a serious shower.

... ...

Mark looked up sharply as the sound of a vehement but soft-spoken argument reached his ears. He rose and hurried up the stairs to where Lewis was staring coldly at the guard that had been left in the hall. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

Lewis did not respond. Mark wondered how he managed an expression that was both cold and smoldering at the same time. He looked to James, the twenty-two year old faction member that he had left on guard.

"He wanted me to stay here rather than accompany him," James reported. "I told him of my orders; he told me that my duty was to protect Keridwen in his absence."

Mark sighed. The guard had been instructed to keep an eye on Lewis and accompany him everywhere. He was to alert a superior if Lewis attempted to leave the property or enter a secured area on site. Lewis had chosen to interpret the young man's duties otherwise. They had no concerns over Keridwen. She was free to do as she chose. "Thank you, James. I will take over the duty I assigned to you. Stay here and see that no harm comes to Lewis' mate."

"Yes sir." The young man made the mistake of sneering at the former chameleon master. Mark was not fast enough to prevent Lewis from taking James by the throat.

"Lewis, let him go. He has done you no harm, and he obeys orders given to him by his leader. You are not that leader and had no right to countermand his orders."

"He will learn respect."

"And how will he do that," Mark asked reasonably, "if his elders do not show respect to their hosts?" Lewis' blue eyes were wintry as he set James down. "Go to your post," Mark told him. The boy nodded and moved back to the door, surreptitiously rubbing his throat.

Lewis had folded his arms across his chest and was staring at Mark. Mark could tell that words boiled below the surface, and he did not want them said here. "Shall we go to my office now?"

... ...

Lewis spun to face Mark as the door closed behind them. "I am taking charge of this operation," he informed the younger man.

Blinking his calm chocolate colored eyes slowly, Mark moved behind the desk and sat down. "Lewis," he began. "This is not an operation, this is a political faction. You have not accepted our faction's position, so you cannot lead it. You are a guest among us. We have welcomed you, we have provided medical assistance, and we have helped you to further your agenda as regards to Tom Daniels."

Frowning, Lewis dropped down into a chair. "In what way," he asked, ignoring all but the last statement.

"Our search teams have confirmed that there is a facility in Salinas, and that Tom is being held there."

"I was not informed of this," he said in a pleasant tone that would have sent his chameleons scurrying for cover. The arbiter simply nodded.

"You were unconscious when the report came in. When you came to, you were rightly concerned about your mate. I did not feel you would wish the news to interfere with that. Was I wrong?"

"No," Lewis admitted. He would have wished nothing to interfere with the time he had just spent with his mate. He allowed himself a slight smile. Keridwen was still at the peak of her fertility. "How is he?"

"He's well. One of the sapiens, the doctor in charge of the project, managed to get word to an old friend of his. He knew that Dr. Attwood had worked with Tom and would not approve of the Ashton woman's plans for him. He is delaying those plans as much as he can without arousing suspicion."

"What is the doctor's name?" Lewis asked, his eyes narrowing. There were other doctors in Danielle's employ with whom he had 'issues'.

"I don't have that information yet. Dr. Attwood and Mr. Peterson are on their way here. I have a team keeping the facility under surveillance to ensure Tom is not moved before we can extract him."

"Has Robert completed his sketches of the interior of the complex?"

"Yes. They are waiting for your review." Mark gestured to the worktable at the other end of the room. "Lewis," he said before Lewis could reach it. "You will not run this faction, nor give orders to any of its members. But should you prove to me that you are fit for duty, I will ask you to lead the extraction team. That team will be subject to your command for the duration of the operation."

Lewis nodded his agreement. That and a guard, however pitiful, to assist in protecting his mate were all that he wanted from them…at the moment.

**ELSEWHERE**

Sloan frowned as she started up the old VW camper. She didn't like driving it. Besides having to fight with the often-sticking manual transmission, the seat was stuck back far enough to accommodate Ed's long legs. Though she was not by any means short, Ed's legs had a good ten inches on hers. She had to sit forward on the seat and cram a big pillow behind her in order to reach the brake, clutch, and accelerator at all comfortably.

Thinking of her best friend, she turned to look where he lay sleeping in the back. He'd been awake long enough for her to sneak him out of the hospital, but had crashed again as soon as he'd hit the air mattress he kept in the back of the van.

Ed had been very lucky. The doctor who had warned her that government agents were planning to move him had also told her that he'd been given a sedative at a dosage more than five times what was recommended for his height and weight. He'd been in a coma for the entire first week, on a respirator and hooked up to an external pacemaker. The sedative had shut down most of his system. If she hadn't arrived and started CPR within minutes of the drug being administered, he would have died, or suffered severe brain damage at the very least.

He'd finally awoken about a week ago, but tired so very easily. That was what had driven home the reality of his close call to Sloan. She was so used to seeing Ed full of energy. He was often the first person in the lab each morning, and almost always the last to leave at night. Then he'd usually hit the pizza pub, the library, or the campus movie house and spend another few hours going full steam before finally getting to bed.

The transmission shifted, almost reluctantly, as she hit the clutch and wrestled with the stick. Ed would have a strong handshake even if he didn't rock climb and run and…well, all his other activities. Sloan turned down the main aisle of the garage and chewed on her lower lip as they approached the exit. She knew she had to get a few miles head start before they began looking for him. Otherwise she wasn't going to be able to change cars without the government agents knowing it.

She paid the lot fee and turned right then made an almost immediate left into a service lane that she'd discovered was locked at four in the afternoon. They made it into the lane just before the gate was closed behind them. The other end exited far from the garage and pedestrian exits of the hospital.

Sloan heard Ed mumble behind her. "Cross your fingers," she told him.

"Huh, what?"

"Cross your fingers, pray, whatever, that they don't have the other end of this driveway staked out."

"Oh, okay." Ed struggled to sit up. "Fell asleep again, huh?"

"Yep. I'm beginning to think it's the company," Sloan teased.

Ed looked up and met her eyes in the rear view mirror. "Sloan, whatever else anyone can say about you, being your friend is never boring. Dangerous, crazy…sure, but not boring."

"Gee thanks, Ed." Sloan shook her head. "Tell you what, next time someone comes along and asks for my vote, I'll tell them I _want_ boring."

He groaned and settled back. "Good call," he muttered. "Hey, where are we going?"

"Remember the cave?"

"Where Lynch had Kelly and…"

"Yeah."

"Why there?"

Sloan sighed. "I had a call on the cell phone Walter gave me. The caller said to go there to get help finding Tom. It wasn't Walter or Ray…and I have a hunch it wasn't Walter's lady _boss_'s people either."

"Great. Hell, Sloan, for all we know it could be one of _them_."

"This is going to sound way out there, Ed…and I'm sorry. But I'm counting on it."

"Maybe it's the drugs…I could swear you're saying you hope that the new species called you."

"Got it in one." She smiled at his perplexed expression. "Look, Walter may have given them the number…"

"Or they hacked the government records. Sloan, these people are dangerous. What if it's someone like Lewis?"

"I know, Ed. I know. But what if it's someone like Tom?"

Ed groaned and dropped back on the mattress. "You're taking another one of those leaps of faith," he accused.

"Yes. I guess I am."

He sighed. "Okay. But next time could you at least ask my opinion before you pull me off the ledge with you?"

Sloan chuckled as she pulled out of the far end of the driveway and merged with traffic.


	5. Chapter 5

Walter watched the street signs as they pulled off of Highway 99 on to Ashlan Avenue. "Turn left there, just before the Jack in the Box" he told Ray. They followed Golden State up to Shaw, then turned right and passed over the multiple sets of railroad tracks their contact had described. A minute later he spotted the I-HOP. "There we go."

"Yeah, I got it," Ray said as he signaled to make the left on Valentine.

They sat uncomfortably in the corner booth, watching the entrance while they placed their orders. Walter poured himself a cup of coffee from the carafe, and then held it out to Ray, who was focusing intently on the view through the main window. "Coffee?"

"Sounds great."

"A bit déclassé don't you think, meeting here?"

"Just some sugar."

Walter shook his head. Ray was more than a bit nervous about this meeting. As well he should be. There was no going back after this. While John Maxwell had not approved of the actions Danielle's team had taken, he had also not authorized Walter's continuing contact with the new species. More to the point, he had specifically refused to lend any assistance in finding or retrieving Tom Daniels. Walter had been forced to call in a lot of favors from old friends in the business to narrow down the possibilities.

"You wanna bet that's our contact?" Ray asked him.

A tallish woman with caramel colored hair had entered the diner. She was sleek, physically fit, and arrogant. She also had the most intense blue eyes he had ever seen…on a woman. Walter had a bad feeling about this. "I never bet on a sure thing, Ray."

... ...

Alexa quickly scanned the interior of the pancake house and located her targets. She waved off the hostess and made her way through the morning breakfast crowd to their table. "Dr. Attwood, Mr. Peterson, Mark sent me to meet you. May I sit down?"

"Of course," Walter responded. She could tell he was fingering his weapon under the table. "And your name is?" By the way that Ray Peterson had stiffened she knew that the former police detective had reached for the comfort of his weapon as well.

"Alexa," she said softly, laying both hands lightly on the table where they could see them. "Alexa Lewis." She smiled at them disarmingly. "I take it you see a certain resemblance? You won't need your weapons…and if you had needed them they would not have benefited you. I would have snapped both your necks before either of you could have squeezed the trigger."

"How are you related…" Walter began.

"I'm his eldest daughter. Don't worry, we're not close. At the moment he is of the opinion that I've betrayed him because I have chosen to support coexistence." She smiled again at their expressions of shock and disbelief. "He feels that coexistence is a fool's dream. Of course, we're hoping to convince him otherwise, for Keri's sake."

Walter Attwood's eyebrows shot up. "Keri?" His eyes narrowed. "Keri Ashton? You know where they are? Is she all right, did he hurt her?"

"She's fine. They're both with us. We found them at your old lab." Alexa looked over her shoulder. "We'll discuss that further at the house." The waitress she had sensed approaching was bringing the sapiens men's breakfasts. Alexa looked up when the woman arrived and asked for a carafe of orange juice, then sat back and made herself comfortable.

... ...

Keri smiled as the hot water washed the conditioner out of her hair. Bathing with Lewis was wonderful, but it didn't really accomplish the basic purpose of a bath or shower. She turned off the water, pulled back the curtain and nearly fell over. Lewis was standing there holding out a large fluffy towel. Her death grip on the plumbing loosened slightly as she caught her breath. "Don't _do_ that," she scolded.

"Didn't you feel that I was here?"

"I was too busy thinking about our bath earlier to feel that _anyone_ was here," she admitted with a sigh.

Frowning, Lewis wrapped the towel around her and carried her out to the bedroom. He sat down on the chaise and settled her in his lap and began patiently combing out her hair. "You need to be more careful," he told her. "What if an enemy had come upon you?"

She rolled her eyes, grateful that he could not see her face. "Lewis, if an enemy came here, I'd have a hell of a lot more notice than feeling them when they got within my range."

"That is not the point. You need to be vigilant."

Keri twisted to face him. "Will you get a grip already?"

His expression hardened. "You asked me to teach you survival skills, did you not?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then take the lessons to heart."

Her shoulders drooped. "Lewis…" she broke off when he pulled her back against his chest and nuzzled her jaw.

"I worry for you," he whispered.

"I know. I'm sorry." Keri leaned her head back on his shoulder. "But please remember, you aren't alone here, not if you don't want to be. Mark's people will help us; protect us, if you let them."

He abruptly sat her back up and returned to de-tangling her hair. "They are not capable of adequately protecting you."

... ...

Mark looked up as Keri and Lewis entered the kitchen. Keri looked…troubled. Lewis looked around sharply, relaxing as he evidently failed to find any enemies in the vicinity. His overprotective attitude was getting old, fast. Perhaps that was why Lewis' mate seemed disturbed?

"Good morning," Keri said as Lewis directed her into a chair at the country style oak table. "Um…" she looked at her watch. "Phew, it is still morning," she chuckled.

Mark nodded. "Yes, you've managed to arrive solidly in morning today." His attention turned to Lewis as the older man began to cook. "We do have people to handle that," Mark offered.

"You will not allow me to assist with security. Now will you tell me that I cannot prepare food for my mate?"

"Of course not."

Keri's face dropped into her hands. "Lewis, he was only offering help, not trying to tell you what to do."

Lewis turned and gave his mate a reproachful look.

"And I am not, _not supporting_ you," she muttered. "I'm just trying to help explain, okay?"

"Fine," Lewis told her and stalked out of the room.

"Oh god," Keri mumbled into her hands.

"It's not my place to interfere between bond mates, Keri, but is something wrong?"

When she finally looked up at him, her eyes were wet. "He's changed, he's changed a lot." The woman stifled a sob with one hand. "I don't know him anymore. He was never like this, even before the bond. It's not what he says or does…not really. It's more about the feelings I'm picking up…or not picking up."

"I'm sorry. He seems overly sensitive about your safety, but I've seen no other behavior that is contrary to what I know of him." Mark frowned as Keri shook her head vigorously. "Robert and Alexa have spent a great deal of time with him over the past ten years or so. I will ask their opinion if you like."

"Yes, thank you. I'd…I'd appreciate that." She fled from the room.

... ...

Lewis took full advantage of the workout area in the basement. It was exactly what he had envisioned when he had first planned this facility. He moved from station to station, setting each to match his personal best and working until it hurt. Keridwen simply did not understand. Her safety was paramount; he could not fail her. Why could she not support him in this? He ignored the sound of the door opening and the soft pad of bare feet as his mate crossed the room towards him.

"You're angry with me again," she said.

He spared her a glance then returned to his workout.

She watched silently until he finished with the free weights and set them back in their places. He felt her move behind him and wrap her arms about his waist. Her cool cheek pressed against his sweat-soaked T-shirt. "Please don't be angry with me. Talk to me about it."

Lewis turned and pulled her to sit on the weight bench. He knelt to face her. "Keridwen, I have talked. I have told you that I need to protect you. What is so difficult about that for you to understand?"

"It's not that I don't understand," she told him. Her mouth turned down at the corners; not in one of the playful pouts she favored, but in what was apparently true sadness. "Lewis, I'm no hothouse flower. I've learned to protect myself, yes," she told him, placing her fingers over his mouth as he opened it to interrupt. "I know that's your job. You're doing it wonderfully. I have never felt so safe in my entire life."

"Then why do you fight me on this?"

"I'm not fighting you on it, I'm smothering under it. Lewis, I love you, but you're going to drive me up the wall if you keep it up!"

He sighed. She did not understand. Leaning forward he rested his cheek on the swell of her breasts. "I cannot lose you, Keridwen. I will not fail you."

"Oh, Lewis." Her hands stroked soothingly through his hair. "I know you won't fail me. I trust you, can't you tell?" He felt her lips brush his temple. "Come on, let's go have some breakfast. I hear that the cook makes a hell of a Mexican omelet."

... ...

Alexa turned the Mercedes sedan into the half-hidden driveway. The sharp left and then right disoriented her passengers, but she could feel their appreciation for the privacy that it provided once the complex's walls were revealed behind the tall hedges of oleander.

"You'd never know the place was so big," Ray Peterson said from the back seat.

"It actually covers four rather large for this area zoned properties," Alexa told him. "Each purchased individually over a ten year period. We have a total of nearly six acres." She glanced at the man sitting beside her. "And, Dr. Attwood, the coexistence faction has you to thank for having it."

"Oh? And how did I manage that?"

"This property was being prepared for the chameleon training program. It hadn't yet been put to use, and it was not in our official records. When Lewis was captured and several of us decided to join the faction, we simply appropriated the deeds from the vault before the new program head arrived." Alexa frowned thoughtfully. Lewis hadn't commented on the appropriation. She was certain he remembered it; he'd spent months on choosing the furnishings alone. Mark had specifically brought Lewis and his mate here because if he allowed Lewis to leave them alive, they would have had to abandon this property anyway. And Mark did intend to allow Lewis to leave alive, should he choose to leave them. This put those here in jeopardy, but Mark's ingrained sense of justice would allow nothing else. They had warned all non-essential personnel away for the duration and Carla had volunteered to come. She felt that Lewis would find her too valuable to destroy if he ever returned to the council's good graces. Besides which, he would owe her his life and Lewis always paid his debts. They pulled up to the main garage. It had originally been a two-story house with vaulted ceilings on the first floor, on one of the properties. The ground floor now housed a small fleet of vehicles, and the second floor held a spare parts inventory as well as their driving and mechanical staff. Alexa tossed the keys to one of the mechanics, gave him instructions on retrieving and returning their guest's rental car, and then led the sapiens toward the three-story main house that Lewis had intended to use as his own residence and headquarters. It would also have provided guest quarters for high ranking chameleons between assignments. Most of the faction's personnel had quarters in a third building, also three-storied. That building would have housed the rank and file of chameleons, the program's students and trainers, and study areas.

Mark met them in the foyer. "Welcome gentlemen. I'm pleased to see that you have arrived safely. Come in."

Attwood and Peterson exchanged glances then followed Mark inside. They had almost reached the study when they were treated to quite a spectacle. Alexa stared as Lewis burst through the kitchen door and then raised an eyebrow. While she was gone he had evidently acquired a pair of scissors and cut off the red dyed part of his hair. He now resembled the sapiens version of the military man that he, in effect, was in their society.

... ...

"Damn it, Lewis, what is your problem?" Keridwen half-shouted as she followed along in his wake.

He stopped short in the hallway. "_That_ is my problem." Lewis gestured at the sapiens and then turned to glare at Mark. "Why was I not informed of this?" he demanded.

Mark met his eyes calmly. "You were. We discussed it in my office."

"No. You did not tell me that you were bringing them here. This is unacceptable. You have willfully endangered my mate."

"Oh, hello Walter," Keridwen said from behind him. "I didn't know you were coming here so soon."

"Keridwen, go upstairs."

"Lewis, please relax. I've known Walter for years; he's not a danger to me."

"You've known your cousin all your life. Will you tell me that she's not a danger?"

"That's different and you know it."

"I will not have this discussion with you again."

"Good, I'm getting very tired of hearing it."

Lewis froze. She was doing it again. Openly defying him and by doing so, endangering herself. He half turned, being sure to keep an eye on the sapiens while he reached back for his mate. "Upstairs, now," he grated, and taking a firm grip on her upper arm, half pushed, half carried her up the stairs ahead of him.

... ...

There was a long silence in the hall. Walter Attwood's eyebrows had risen to almost meet his receding hairline. "Would anyone like to explain why Keridwen Ashton and Lewis sound like a bickering married couple?"

"Bickering, my backside," Ray Peterson muttered. "That was more like a domestic disturbance call. If I were working a beat I'd tell that woman to get herself to a shelter."

Mark sighed. "Let's go into my office."

"Let's not. My gut is telling me that was abuse waiting to happen. I know the danger signs and we are not going to allow that…that…to hurt that poor woman," Ray insisted.

"He will not harm her. I can guarantee it." Mark held open the door to the study and waited for them to enter, then followed them in and closed it behind him. After they were all seated he continued. "Lewis and Keri have entered into what my people call a mating bond. It is like a sapiens marriage in many ways, but there is an empathic connection involved and it is for life. He cannot harm her without harming himself. She is perfectly safe with him."

"You know," Ray said in an almost confiding manner. "I've got a bridge for sale…or maybe I could interest you in some ocean front property…in Nevada?"

"Ray, relax. Keri Ashton can handle herself. If you want to worry about someone, you should probably be worrying about Lewis," Walter told him, looking vastly amused.

Mark's eyebrows rose. Dr. Attwood thought that highly of Keri's abilities? He frowned. Her file had some interesting notations, but nothing that indicated she could best any of his people, let alone a chameleon. Attwood smiled wryly at him. Mark sat up straight, making no attempt to hide his confusion.

"Keri Ashton can talk her way out of anything. And if she can't, she'll still have her opponent so confused that she can use one of the little tricks she learned in bodyguard school." He paused and his expression grew thoughtful. "And I don't really want to know what she could do with her PSI abilities if she really let loose with them. I do know that you can literally feel the force of her anger. She was telling a CIA man at one of her grandfather's parties just what she thought of his latest operation in Palestine, and the room temperature rose a good five degrees. Champagne glasses were shaking on the trays…and I'm speaking of the trays that were sitting on the buffet table, not those being held by waiters."

"Impressive," Mark agreed.

"Yes, and she wasn't even working at it. So I don't think even Lewis will be a problem for her."

"Look, I don't know about that PSI mumbo-jumbo," Ray said. "But that lady was plain scared. You see it all the time in the streets. Women confused, they're being hurt. But they won't report it because they're _in love_."

"We do not interfere between a bonded pair, Mr. Peterson, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, they used to say that about human married couples, 'til they realized that some sick bastards were literally getting away with murder. Still happens sometimes, but at least the system recognizes it and will help the battered spouse if they ask."

"That can't happen in this case…"

"I know, you said he can't hurt her without hurting himself. Fine, that's physically. Haven't you people ever heard of emotional or psychological abuse? Damn."

Mark shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "This is not the issue at hand. We are here to discuss the recovery of Tom Daniels. I would appreciate your allowing _us _to handle any problems that our people may be having."

"Since when is Keri Ashton one of _your_ people?" Walter asked.

"Once she entered into a bond with Lewis, she became our responsibility," Mark told him. He was not about to discuss Keri's genetics with the scientist.

... ...

After the argument, Keri sat on the chaise, stared at the wallpaper and listened as the door slammed behind a still angry Lewis. She was really starting to worry. Even at his most impatient with her, Lewis had never been like this. He'd badgered her about safety and protection until she'd wanted to hit him with something. She'd finally asked if he'd ever treated Marjorie like this. _That _had been a big mistake.

He'd gone sheet white. Then he'd turned those brilliant blue eyes on her. The hurt in them…it just cut her to ribbons inside. He'd finally said in a strangled voice, "No, I didn't. And look what happened to her." And then he'd stalked out of the room.

She didn't have the energy or desire to go downstairs. Walter would no doubt be full of questions that Keri did not want to answer, not now. The black man that had been with him had been angry at the way Lewis was acting. From the quick surface read that she done on him she'd gotten the distinct impression that the man was a cop and that he thought she was being abused.

Lewis would never hurt her – or at least he would not hurt her intentionally. Her upper arm was going to have a bruise, though. No, Lewis was the one who was hurting here, and badly. She just didn't understand why.

Keri sighed and pulled the heavy afghan up to her chin. Her eyes were going to be all puffy again from crying; she just knew it.

... ...

Mark sat and watched the two chameleons discuss retrieval plans with the newly arrived sapiens. Or, rather, he watched them argue over the retrieval plans. They were getting nowhere. His attempts at intervention had been brushed aside. Patiently by the chameleons, less so by the sapiens. He knew that his youth had a great deal to do with the latter. The chameleons knew that an arbiter trained almost from birth to mediate volatile situations. Once certified, their age was irrelevant.

The door opened quietly and an oddly subdued Lewis entered. He nodded at Mark. For a change, his attitude seemed to be one of requesting rather than demanding. Mark gladly abandoned his spot at the head of the table and gestured for Lewis to take his place.

"Gentlemen," Lewis acknowledged the sapiens with a nod. "Chameleons," he greeted Alexa and Robert. "We have a problem and we will resolve it. I have reviewed the interior schematics provided by Robert, and the exterior layout obtained by Dr. Attwood and Mr. Peterson. I've also discussed the implications suggested by this information with Keridwen to obtain any insights she might have based on her intimate knowledge of Danielle Ashton and how she operates."

Lewis tossed four copies of the report that Mark remembered him printing out in his office earlier onto the table. He handed a fifth copy over his shoulder to Mark, and opened the copy he retained for himself. "Please review it and then we will discuss our plan."

**ELSEWHERE**

The fresh air was agreeing with Ed. He'd been walking a bit, and sleeping less and less. Sloan smiled as she saw him returning to their impromptu campsite with an armful of kindling for the fire. "Hey, that was a long one," she called out. "What happened, you get tired and take a nap?"

"Not even," Ed retorted. "I decided to climb a little bit. I've been stuck in bed for so long between the flu and that sedative thing that I had an urge to just…be out there. Know what I mean?"

Sloan had never been one for the great outdoors. Well, she enjoyed a little light hiking, even some camping now and then. But she'd never really understood Ed's passion for pushing his physical limits, whether it was rock climbing on an almost vertical slope, or riding a thirty foot wave. "The important thing is, did you have fun?"

He paused to consider. "Yeah," he said. "I did."

She got up and gave him a hug. "I'm glad. You've been working too hard for too long, you deserve any fun you can get."

"Yeah, look who's talking. So, what are we having for dinner?"

"Well, you've got a choice. You can have beans and bacon, or you can have beans and wieners."

"Remind me not to let you do any more grocery shopping."

Sloan threw her hair back and planted her hands on her hips in her best 'offended' pose. "Well _now_ look who's talking, mister King of the take-out counter," she said.

... ...

Anja watched in utter silence from the cover of the trees. Bimbo, she thought disdainfully. But these were the ones Mark had asked her to watch for. She lightly sprinted the mile to the cave where she had hidden her Suzuki Hayabusa and prepared for a quick run back to Fresno. If she didn't run into any speed traps, she would make the 275-mile trip in about two and three quarter-hours, maybe a bit more. Anja smiled as she closed the reflective faceplate on her helmet. If she did run into any speed traps, she'd make it in less.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been a long afternoon, but worth it, Lewis decided. There had been only a few alterations to his plan, and those were based on information that had not been available to him when the plan was drafted. He would check on the vehicles later, after he attended to his mate. He nodded to James as he opened the door to the master suite. It was ironic that Mark had assigned them the rooms he had intended to use for himself. Besides the sitting room, the kitchenette, the attached bathroom and the walk in closet there was a small study, a miniature version of the one downstairs. Complete with…

Eyes narrowing speculatively, Lewis headed for the narrow hidden door set into the paneling. He felt for the pressure sensitive mechanism, pushed, and the panel swung silently open. He slid sideways into the darkened room and closed the door behind him before reaching to turn on the lamp. His night vision was excellent, but this room had been designed to totally block the entry or egress of light. Even dominants could not see in total darkness.

Ah, good, he thought. They hadn't found it. All was exactly as it had been left after his last visit. He had access to everything here; the bank accounts that he had carefully set up against the day when the council would fail them, all the records accessible via their web system, everything. He could even contact the council from here without their knowing his location. The private phone line was routed through several satellite systems that encompassed a half-dozen countries around the globe. He would be able to make a deal to keep Keridwen safe or, failing that, finance an escape for them.

Lewis toyed with the idea of checking Keridwen's file; there was much he was curious about. But it could wait and her distress could not. He had seen the telltale signs of dried tears on her face as he crossed the room. Sighing, he turned off the light before activating the door release.

... ...

Keri mumbled at the sleep disturbing touch and tried to push it away. Not only would it not go away, it became more insistent. As she was dragged towards wakefulness, the touch defined itself in her mind. Her eyes fluttered open as Lewis nuzzled the small scar on the left side of her neck. There was just something… arousing about it. She wasn't sure if it was just an erogenous zone for her or if it had something to do with the memories of the night they had bonded.

She moaned as he nipped the spot lightly, and pressed her thighs together. No, arousing was _not _a strong enough word for it. His hand moved down her body, lightly caressing her breasts, then cupping her belly possessively for a moment before continuing down to the vee where her thighs and pubis met.

His fingers played in her curls, then tugged gently on one thigh. Keri smiled and parted her legs for him, then chuckled as he whispered a sardonic 'thank you' in her ear. Her chuckle ended in another moan as his talented fingers began stroking her sensitive flesh.

Her pulse was pounding in her ears as his lips wandered over her neck, licking and ever so gently biting. She shivered as he closed his teeth over her trachea, defining the line of it under her skin. He bit down just firmly enough to remind her how vulnerable she was; then kissed up the length of it and over her chin, finally reaching her parted lips.

He devoured her mouth, eliciting yet another moan from deep in her throat. Her hips began to move in rhythm to the game that he played, alternately plunging fingers inside her wet canal and teasing her throbbing clitoris.

Lewis slid one arm under her, and pulled her against his body as he slipped onto the two-armed chaise in her place. Keri found herself half-laying, half-sitting on his lap. Only then did she notice that they were both already naked. She whimpered in protest as his fingers left her canal and moved to join his other hand at her waist.

... ...

Lewis smiled at the forlorn sound his mate made as he abandoned the game he had made of arousing her. Her lips drooped into a playful pout and her gray eyes grew wide with mock-sadness as she looked at him. She gave an exaggerated sniff and said "Empty." He laughed. She would not remain empty for long.

His head snapped up and he extended his senses at unexpected extrasensory input from the hall. It was only James moving a bit further away from the door. All was well. He turned his attention back to his mate. He pushed her upright and smiled at her eager expression when her legs dropped to either side of his. She knew what he had in mind and most definitely approved. Keridwen stood on tiptoe over him, feet on the floor and legs spread, frowning because she could not quite manage what she wished. Lewis moved to lift her and she shook her head. He shrugged and lounged back in the chair-like portion of the chaise to allow her to figure out how to manage it herself. She finally brightened, and using the arms of the chaise to balance, climbed up onto it and began to lower her body over him. He smiled and reached out to guide her. Once she was firmly astride him, she slipped first one foot and then the other back down to the floor.

Groaning as he filled her, she continued to lower herself until he was fully sheathed in her wet heat.

... ...

Keri panted at the pressure as she lowered herself onto Lewis. Finally she was settled over him, her feet easily reached the floor with her knees bent just enough…it was perfect, as though the low chaise was made for this specific activity.

She began to ride him, straightening and flexing her legs, raising herself up onto her toes, and then lowering until her buttocks touched his thighs. It was exquisite. The long drawing friction as she pulled up and pushed down began to take her into a dreamy haze. Her fingers clutched the arms of the chaise so that the only contact was where they were intimately joined.

Giving herself up to the sensations, Keri found herself moving faster, pressing herself down harder as the heat began to build. Her focus narrowed to the feel of his invading member being momentarily trapped within her, and reluctantly released as she pulled up again.

She began to keen as the explosions began at her core; then traveled up and down her body in a shuddering wave. Rocking mindlessly, she finally reached for him, gasping as he pulled her close and swallowed her cries with his fierce kiss.

The muscles in her thighs burned as he grasped her hips and began aiding her efforts. Keri had half collapsed against Lewis' shoulder, shuddering with a second orgasm when his seed was finally released within her. She fought to stay with him as he groaned and stroked her trembling body, bringing even more pleasure to her overloaded senses.

Finally Keri collapsed bonelessly in Lewis' arms, her breathing harsh and uneven. She felt him pull her from his softening member then lift and carry her to the bed. He climbed in after her and pulled the sheets over them both.

... ...

Lewis extended his perceptions to search the surrounding area. There was nothing alarming to be found. He relaxed and gathered his exhausted mate into his embrace, kissing her sweat-dampened forehead and stroking her trembling back.

She'd managed to stay with him the whole way this time; though barely. It was probably because he had allowed her to control the activity. Still, he could tell that Keridwen's endurance for the prolonged intimacy typical of his people was increasing, however gradually. Lewis smiled. In this, at least, he was not putting her at risk.

A soft moan escaped her lips as she moved against him, her arms wrapping around to hold him tightly. He felt her mouth brush the point where his shoulder muscle met the tendon that extended down from behind his ear and then felt the hot wetness of her tongue, as she tasted him. He smiled and shifted her back slightly, then cupped her cheek in his palm, stroking it with a thumb. "Tired, cherished?" he asked.

"Mmmm. A little," she admitted. One gray eye opened and gave him a half-accusing look. "I bet you aren't, huh?"

Lewis forced himself not to raise an eyebrow. "Not really, no," he agreed.

"Good. Then you can give me that leg massage. My thighs and calves are all achy now."

He smiled and kissed her pout away. They were in no immediate danger here. He could afford to indulge her…for the moment.

... ...

Mark walked to the foot of the stairs and looked up to where James lounged against the back wall in the third floor hallway. He cocked his head to the side in silent question.

James shrugged and turned to walk down the hall to the master suite and knocked on the door.

Mark heard voices talking, too muffled by the acoustics to distinguish the words. He frowned, thinking for not the first time that those acoustics, like a great deal of other oddities on the property, had been carefully planned.

His patience was finally rewarded by James reappearance. "They'll be down in a half hour," he was informed.

Mark nodded and headed for the kitchen to tell the cook when dinner should be served.

The question of dinner addressed, Mark returned to his study…Lewis' study if the truth were told. Whatever else he thought about the former chameleon master, the man had excellent taste. As in every room, the furniture was both sturdy and functional. But in this room, intended to be Lewis' inner sanctum, it was also beautiful.

The huge antique plantation style desk of rich hand waxed Koa wood was the center of attention. Its matching chair was both elegant and comfortable, the original back cushion having been replaced by a custom made ergonomic one. The modern touch was not noticeable as it was hidden behind the desk when the chair was not occupied. Two matching armless visitor's chairs stood waiting on the opposite side.

Koa shelves lined the walls, but were all but empty at the moment. Alexa had assured Mark that they would have been filled with texts once Lewis had moved the core of his operation here. The man evidently owned what amounted to a small research library.

A Koa conference table and ten chairs occupied the large niche under the bay windows. On the opposite side of the room waited a loveseat, two chairs and a sofa set up around a low hand carved ornamental table to aid informal conversation. The wood, of course, was the same exotic Koa of the other furniture. The upholstery was done in a scrollwork pattern of predominately rich burgundy and forest green accents against a heavy cream background. The cushions on the desk and conference table chairs had a matching pattern with the colors reversed.

The floor was covered in a thick but low pile burgundy carpet. It had a velvety appearance and had to be vacuumed daily to restore the pile to its optimal state. It was the sole non-practical item in the room.

He had seated himself at the desk and was nearly done with his email when trouble arrived in the form of a petite but dangerous package. Anja Martin, their prize courier, entered the room.

"Your two sapiens are at the cave," she announced without preamble. "The male, he don't look too good. Well, not healthy I mean."

The young woman had an indistinct accent and a deep throaty voice. She was encased from neck to toe in leather clothing and had a motorcycle helmet hanging over one arm by its strap. Mark allowed himself to enjoy her cocky attitude and the charcoal gray eyes framed by dark wavy hair while he digested the information she had brought.

"He's actually not too bad looking for a sapiens. Maybe too tall, ja?"

Mark nodded. "I can see where you would find Dr. Tate a bit too tall," he agreed.

"Are you sure that female is the mate of Tom Daniels? She looks…uh, how you say, hmm. Average. Yes, average." Anja looked around toward the open door, then leaned in closer and continued in almost a whisper. "You know, an American Bimbo, like the kind in the movies…no brains."

Struggling not to smile at the generalization, Mark sat back in the chair. "I don't know if they've actually mated, but Tom Daniels does consider her to be an important part of his life. And regardless of her appearance, Dr. Parker has a Ph.D. in bio-anthropology. They do not, unless I am sadly mistaken, give them out to brainless bimbos."

Anja fidgeted at the reproof in his voice. "Sorry," she muttered, not sounding sorry at all.

Mark sighed. "I know you do not approve. However, Tom is Chosen, and it is not your place to approve or disapprove of his actions. Nor is it mine." He waited for her nod of acknowledgment before he continued. "Get yourself some dinner and a bit of rest, then take a car back to San Bernardino and pick them up. Get rid of whatever they used for transportation. Make certain the remains of it are unidentifiable."

She grinned. "Explosives?"

He had to smile at the eagerness in her voice. Though the courier program trained its people in the use of all kinds of explosives as it trained them in all aspects of combat, the graduates rarely had the opportunity to use either. While carrying messages and research samples through war-torn Bosnia, Anja had proved that she had taken the combat lessons to heart. Mark was certain she could deal with the explosives equally as well. "Whatever you need to accomplish the objective," he agreed.

... ...

"It just doesn't feel right," Ray muttered. "It's like breaking bread with the enemy, just kind of sticks in my craw."

"Ray, we have to remember, _these _dominants are not our enemies. They are every bit as concerned for Tom as we are," Walter Attwood said.

"Yeah, Mark and his people, maybe, but Lewis? Damn it, he kidnapped Sloan, had Tom programmed. Sure, he may want Tom out of Ashton's hands as much as the rest of us, but what's he going to do once we get him out?"

Walter shrugged. He wasn't terribly clear on that point himself. He did know that it would not be what anyone expected. Keri Ashton's involvement had always been a wildcard in any deal, and he was certain this time would be no exception. Walter gave Ray a sidelong look. "Whatever his plans, I'm sure he won't get what he expects, not with Keri to contend with."

Ray rolled his eyes. He didn't know Keri Ashton, and was likely still concerned for the woman's safety. "I don't know Doc, I just don't know."

They both looked up as a young dominant came down the stairs. Keri and Lewis were about a half flight behind him.

... ...

Keri had tried to keep up a civil conversation at the table. She had tried _very_ hard but finally admitted defeat and lapsed into silence. Not only had Lewis been openly hostile to Walter and his friend Ray, but also Robert and Alexa had not been more than minimally polite. Jeff had been the only one to join Mark in making an effort to make the two men feel welcome. It didn't help that Ray kept looking at her like she was being victimized and just didn't know it.

It was very good of the man to be concerned, but Keri knew the difference between being a victim and helplessly watching a loved one self-destruct. After her mother and aunt's death she had watched her grandmother take to drinking and abusing prescription drugs. Claire Ashton had followed her daughters into the family mausoleum in less than two years. The Senator had avoided the tranquilizer and sleeping pill trap, but the crystal decanters that held Bushmill's Black Bush Whiskey and Lochan Ora liqueur in his private study were refilled at an unsettling rate.

Lewis wasn't drinking or taking drugs of any kind, but he was definitely unraveling. Keri knew that she was missing something important. She just couldn't figure out what her intuition was trying to tell her.

After making love with her and carrying her over to the king sized bed, Lewis had proceeded to explain yet again how important her safety was to him. He seemed perpetually stuck on that point. Downright afraid that he would fail to protect her and that he would experience the same devastation that he had when he lost Marjorie.

She could feel the level of terror he had of this through the bond. When he felt that she was at least marginally safe it receded and he behaved as he had when the bond was new. Tender, passionate, playful, often impatient and, yes, protective, but reasonably so. But let something happen that he did not fully control, like the arrival of Walter and Ray, and he literally wallowed in paranoia. It was enough to break her heart.

... ...

Mark made one final attempt to bring détente to the table. He did not like the idea of discussing business at a meal, but all other subjects had failed miserably. "Lewis," he began. "Were you able to make any decisions as to how to cover our withdrawal once we've recovered Tom?"

Lewis looked up from his fruit compote. "I have an idea, but I'll need to borrow a messenger to assist in the arrangements. I cannot leave Keridwen here alone and taking her with me if I were to go is out of the question. It would not be safe."

Keri's mouth tightened, but she made no comment.

"I'll have a trained courier available by late tomorrow evening," he told them. "Or we can send James first thing in the morning, once he's had some sleep."

Nodding, Lewis said, "I think we should send James. He'll be acceptable appearance-wise if we dress him appropriately. And the sooner we get the message off, the better. I'm not sure how much longer the help I'm thinking of will be in place."

"Why don't you call and ask Renee's mom?" Keri asked. "You don't have to tell her why, just ask when and where you can get a message to them."

Mark sat back in surprise. Lewis had loyal people on call that Keri was aware of?

"A good point," Lewis conceded. He reached up to lightly touch his mate's cheek. "I'd forgotten that avenue of contact."

Keri nodded, not making a fuss over her contribution, as was appropriate for a bonded mate. Mark found himself nodding in approval at her behavior.

"Should that wait until morning, or…" Mark began.

"No, I should make the call now. It's been nearly a week, they could be moving on at any time." Lewis stood, excused himself, and headed for the study. He hesitated at the door and looked back at Keri, his expression torn.

"I'm done," Keri said softly, then rose and made her own excuses before joining her mate.

**ELSEWHERE**

Danielle frowned at the man sitting across from her. She wasn't certain whether he did not understand his position or if he simply didn't care. Either way, he was being foolishly intransigent.

"Dr. Bowman," she began. "I do not see the problem in proceeding with the advanced studies. You told me yourself that the baseline studies are complete and the data has been entered into the system and backed up."

"That's true," David Bowman admitted. "That's not the problem, no, that's not the problem at all."

Dani forced herself to maintain her composure. Her week had gone from bad to worse with the botched search for Keri and Lewis, and then having Keri's energy crystal break which meant that her cousin was most likely dead. And now she had been given a report that the Parker woman had somehow managed to spirit an all but comatose Ed Tate from the hospital and out from under her surveillance team's eyes. No, despite this she would _not_ reach across the desk and throttle the man. "Then what _is_ the problem," she grated.

"I haven't yet finished prioritizing the advanced study proposals," he said, as though that explained everything.

"Just pick one and begin."

"Oh no, we can't do that!" He sounded horrified at even the suggestion.

Her eyes narrowed. Presidents had wet their pants when seeing her at this stage of fury. Dr. Bowman hastily continued his explanation.

"You see, most, if not all of the advanced studies include a terminal risk to the subject."

"So?"

He sighed, his expression suggesting that _he_ was the one who was exercising extreme patience. "So, we need to prioritize the studies so that those which have the potential of bringing either the most useful or most extensive information are conducted first. That way, if we lose the subject, we have gained the most possible use of him."

"If we lose the subject, we'll get another."

"Well, yes. But then we'd have the delay while we ran the baseline on the new subject."

Danielle knew she was close to losing control. "Doctor, we have a comprehensive baseline for the species now. We can use that."

He was shaking his head vigorously. "Oh no, that would make assumptions that we don't even want to contemplate. Certainly there are some results that we can take for granted, but to conduct studies of this magnitude without having a baseline from the subject on which it is being performed…well, that would simply invalidate all of the results."

"Get out."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Get out of my office. I expect the list of prioritized studies on my desk by nine Monday morning. Is that clear?"

"Of course, Ms. Ashton. I'll get right on it."

... ...

David Bowman shuddered in reaction as he made his way back to his own office at the back of the lab. He'd managed to play his bluff…and it had held. Now it was time to pray that Walter Attwood and his associates would arrive to liberate their friend before Monday morning.


	7. Chapter 7

Lewis frowned as he glanced over the array of vehicles parked in the house-sized garage. He compared them with the printout of their specs, and considered what would best suit his needs for the retrieval operation.

There were two vehicles that were not on the list. One was a Pontiac. It appeared to be a customized version of what was originally a Firebird. It had, at the very least, an upgraded suspension and a cold air induction system. A decal proclaimed it to be a 'Firehawk'. Lewis decided he would take the time to examine it more closely later.

The other mystery vehicle proved to be a Suzuki Hayabusa, basically a street-legal version of a racing motorcycle. Mark had mentioned a trained courier; this probably belonged to him. He reached out a hand to determine what material the seat was made of.

"I wouldn't touch it were I you," James said.

Lewis straightened and raised an eyebrow. "You are not me."

"Especially if I was you, I would not touch it. You are intelligent enough not to take unnecessary risks," James clarified with a smirk.

Eyes narrowing, Lewis was about to respond with a particularly scathing remark when a voice echoed through the room.

"Get the hell away from my bike!" The speaker was female, undeniably so though she seemed determined to hide it beneath androgynous leather clothing and a deep, no nonsense tone of voice.

Lewis took a step back to get a better look at their courier…this was undoubtedly she. The woman strode across the cement as though she owned it, weaving through the cars and trucks with grace and assurance.

"No one touches my bike…or my car; got it?"

She had a Germanic accent. Probably raised in Eastern Germany, but it was muted so she had spent a good deal of time in an English speaking country as well. Lewis frowned. He had heard something about a new courier assigned to the council…a report he had read…

... ...

Anja stared up at the man with silver hair who had been hovering over her Hayabusa. He was frowning at her with a speculative look. That made her angry all over again.

"You're Anja Martin," he said suddenly.

"Yeah, so what of it?"

He shrugged. "I find it interesting that the courier who risked her life carrying information vital to the Eastern European branch of the council, who, in fact, traveled over two hundred and fifty miles with a broken off bayonet in her hip to deliver that information, would join the coexistence faction; particularly after accepting assignment to the council in the Americas."

"What better time, heh?" This one was definitely not hard on the eyes, she thought. Older, but not old. Distinguished looking, yes that was the term for him…and sexy. He was all alpha male.

"Some might see it as a betrayal," he commented dryly.

Anja blanched as she realized to whom she was talking. Mark had warned her not to be seen by Lewis. He had not accepted the need for coexistence and would likely report her defection to the council. Ah well, she had done it now. "And some might see it as the only way we will survive without destroying ourselves or the planet."

"Most do not."

She shrugged. "Just because the majority believes a thing, does not make it so." Anja moved into his personal space to show she wasn't afraid of him. His eyebrow rose. "After all, a few hundred years ago _everyone_ thought the world was flat."

Lewis shook his head slightly. "That is not a good example. The tools needed to prove otherwise did not yet exist, and the education level of the general populace was insufficient to work on theory alone."

Grinning, Anja realized he had accepted her as intelligent enough to debate with. "Ah, but education is the point. Most of our people are not educated to understand their own nature and what would result if we allow our violent tendencies to take over. And that is what would have to happen for us to truly war against the sapiens."

"But you seem to understand this; and the others here as well?" He snorted. "What is so different about your education that has allowed you to have this, this _revelation_?"

"Practical experience. Look at what you have here. Chameleons, who knows violence and how inherent it is to us better than they do? Soldiers, that's self-explanatory, heh? Arbiters are trained from birth to understand our natures inside and out. And there is me. I've lived the violence…I've the scars to prove it. I had to unleash my violent side in order to survive, but now I have to fight to control it. Sometimes I just want to destroy things…anything…or anyone." Anja turned on her heel and marched towards the house to look for Mark. He had to know about this. "And keep your damn hands off my car and my bike!" she called over her shoulder.

... ...

Mark looked up as the door to his study burst open. He had been trying to talk to Keri about her fears for Lewis' state of mind. She felt that his behavior was an indication of something more serious than a touch of understandable paranoia over her safety.

Anja strode in. She looked…disturbed. She glared at Keri. "Get out," she told her.

Keri stared at the younger woman. "Excuse me?" she said in an almost sweet tone. Mark frowned at that, he could feel the furious undercurrent that tone hid.

"You heard me, I will speak privately with Mark," Anja said.

"Ah, Anja," Mark interrupted. "This is Keri, Keridwen Ashton. Lewis' mate."

Anja looked Keri over then shrugged. "What is it about these chameleons and their bim…ah, sapiens?"

Keri stood. She was seething now. "You can have your private conversation once I'm finished." She met Anja's eyes, glare for glare. "And I'm no bimbo, honey. Lewis, if you haven't heard, chooses only the best of everything. I'm no exception."

Mark looked from one female to the other. The anger level was high. He hoped Anja would refrain from making this physical, but he prepared to intercept her, just in case.

"Mmm, Lewis. Now that one is _delicious_," Anja said, her tone implying intimate knowledge. "Yes, I was just _with_ him. It was…incredible."

Keri paled and grabbed the back of her chair for support. Mark could see her shaking. He didn't know what Anja was playing at. What she was hinting was physiologically difficult if not impossible for a bonded male, but Keri obviously didn't know that. He realized too late that he was preparing to counter the wrong female.

Anja tried to sidestep as Keri launched herself at her, but the other visitor chair was in the way. The two tumbled to the floor, but were on their feet almost immediately. Well, Anja was on her feet; Keri was simply up by virtue of her tight grip on Anja.

"Bitch!" Keri hissed as she struggled to get her balance. "Stay away from him!" She staggered again as Anja shoved her off balance.

Holding on to one of Keri's arms, Anja raised a hand to strike her. Mark was not going to get there in time to stop the blow from landing…

"Is this how you _look after_ my mate?" Lewis snarled at Mark as his hands closed on Anja's wrists and pulled her away from Keri.

Mark sighed in relief. He'd been so intent on intervening he hadn't sensed Lewis' arrival.

Lewis shoved Anja into Mark's arms, and turned to lift Keri from the floor. "Let me go!" Keri grated. She glared furiously at Lewis and struggled in his grasp. "How could you do this to me…to us?" His eyebrows rose.

"Tell her, Anja," Mark ordered.

"Tell me what? She already told me the truth," Keri spat out.

Anja laughed. "Of course I told the truth…literally."

... ...

Lewis was furious. He had left his mate for less than an hour and now she was bruised and angry. Mark had promised to look after her, had guaranteed her safety. And this…child…had not only harmed his mate, but had told her something that made her slam down every shield she had, blocking him from reaching her through the bond or even reading her surface emotions.

"What exactly did you tell my mate, Anja?" he demanded.

"The truth. That you were…delicious," Anja smirked.

Mark sighed. "She implied that the two of you had been intimately involved…today. Obviously untrue, but apparently this is another aspect of the bond in which Keri has not been instructed."

Shaking his head at the ludicrousness of it, Lewis looked at Mark. "I would appreciate privacy to deal with this."

"Certainly," Mark agreed, and took Anja out of the room, closing the door behind them.

... ...

Lewis turned Keridwen to face him. He had failed her yet again…but she had also failed him. "I am…disappointed that you could believe this of me."

Keridwen squirmed in his grasp. "I don't, well, not really. It's just…well; she's so…" her voice trailed off in a sigh. "I guess I couldn't see why you wouldn't want her over me."

His eyes closed in frustration. As he had feared, his mate's self-image problems were endangering her. "Did I not warn you of this?" he asked. "I told you that you needed to deal with your esteem problem or it would be used against you."

"I know." Her voice reflected her inner turmoil. "I tried. When she made comments about me directly I handled it fine. I told her off. But when she said…or I guess implied…that you and she…I guess I was afraid of losing you."

Lewis sighed. "The only way you can lose me is through death. Keridwen, I cannot _cheat_ on you. One of the affects of the bond is that I cannot find anyone other than my mate sexually appealing. Were it necessary for survival, I have a strong enough will that I could force myself to _perform_ with another, but it would be just that, a forced performance."

"Oh. Hmm, that explains it."

His eyebrow rose. "Explains what, my own?" he asked, stroking her hair back from her face.

"Why I don't find Jeff even the least bit sexy anymore. I mean, not even in the abstract."

"Exactly."

Keridwen wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her cheek against his chest. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

He felt her shields drop. Her chagrin washed over him, followed by a profound relief and sense of security…and that other feeling. The one she called 'love'. "Keridwen, whatever the provocation, you must promise me that you will never physically confront any of my species. You would be injured if not killed; the risk to you is unacceptable."

"I can't promise you that, Lewis. What if you're in danger? Or what if I'm attacked? I'm not supposed to defend myself?"

"Keridwen…"

"How about if I promise not to elevate any confrontation to a physical level?"

Lewis shook his head. This was not acceptable, but she had a point. "All right." He stroked her hair and nuzzled the top of her head. "But please, call for help, run if you think you can reach safety. And do _not_ hesitate to cheat."

She giggled. "Yes Lewis, I promise to fight dirty if I have to fight at all."

... ...

Mark stopped in the hall and turned to face Anja. "What did you think you were doing? You know it's forbidden to interfere with a bonded couple."

Anja shrugged. "I didn't interfere. She just can't take a joke. Everybody knows a bonded mate can't wander."

"She did not know. Keri does not have the advantage of growing up in our society, there is much she does not know and we do not think to teach her. She could have been seriously hurt and then there would have been hell to pay with Lewis." Mark frowned as Anja made a face and started to turn away. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Do you understand how serious this is?"

"Ja, I understand. Don't piss off Lewis or we all will die. Yes?"

Her sarcasm did not impress him. "It could come to that. Look, the council wants him dead and he has chosen a mate who is not dominant. He may come to embrace coexistence. That could break the back of the status quo."

Anja looked at the hand holding her arm, then up at his face. "Okay, I get it. This is important to you…to all of us."

"Yes, it is."

"All right. No more games. I will play it straight with those two, ja?"

"Thank you."

"So what do we do about me now? It was accident that he saw me in the garage."

"While he's with us it should still be safe for you to continue serving as the council's courier. The intelligence we've been able to gather from intercepting their most important deliveries has been phenomenal. But you'll have to prepare to go underground with us once he leaves…if he chooses to leave."

"You won't just kill him when he's of no more use, huh?"

"No. I cannot do that."

Anja sighed, her hand moved to rest on his chest. "Do you know what your problem is?" she asked. "You are just too honorable." She grinned, her expression pure mischief. "I like that." Her body pressed up against him. "I like it a lot."

"Anja…no." Mark fought to suppress a reaction to her blatantly sexual teasing.

"Why not? You are not mated; I am not mated. I know you find me…attractive."

"You know why."

"What, because you are section leader? Please. Could I possibly be any more insubordinate than I already am? Oh, don't answer that."

Mark frowned. "That's only one reason. Anja, I'm an arbiter. Do you know what that means?"

"Sure, you've been trained to see both sides of any issue and to be impartial. Just so long as you aren't impartial in bed, who cares?"

"Anja, it means more than that. Arbiters are generally chosen as infants. I suppose you don't know the criteria of that choice either," he mused. This was going to be more difficult to talk about than he'd imagined.

"I thought they were chosen so young because the control of emotions needed to be absolute and took that long to train."

"That is why the training begins so young. But the criteria for choosing an arbiter is, well…"

"What? It is a secret or something?

"No." He sighed. "All arbiters are chosen from children that were born sterile in some way. Unable to bear or sire offspring."

"And this is a problem?"

"Anja, you do not understand. Sterility prevents bonding. And even without a bond, females do not wish to be with a male who cannot give them children."

She frowned. "So, we _are_ talking sterility here, not impotence, right?"

"No! I mean, yes. Only sterility."

"Then there is not a problem." She snorted delicately. "You made it sound like arbiters were eunuchs."

"But, Anja…"

"No. No buts. Well, butts maybe…" she trailed off looking thoughtful, Mark's eyebrows shot up. "Look, the baby thing. Been there, done that, do not _ever_ want to do it again, ja?" She grinned and wriggled against him. "So, you being arbiter is a plus for me."

Mark shook his head and firmly set her aside. "No. Anja, I am _still_ section leader. This would not be right." He looked towards the study door. "I have a call to make. Why don't you get your breakfast? We'll need you to take James to Pasadena before you pick up the sapiens in San Bernardino."

Anja sighed. "All right, party pooper." She flounced to the kitchen and opened the door, stopping half way through. "But think about it, okay?" She closed the door behind her.

Groaning softly, Mark began to turn.

The kitchen door popped open and Anja leaned out of it. "I do. All the time," she said before disappearing again.

... ...

"Where's Anja," Lewis asked as he and Keri left the study.

"In the kitchen getting breakfast. Lewis, I…" Mark began.

"I'll go talk to her," Keri said.

"No, it's too dangerous."

"Lewis, I have to do this. It's my problem and it's the only way I'm going to be able to deal with it, okay?"

His eyes drifted closed. "Okay. But remember your promise. I'll be right here."

She smiled up at him. "I remember."

Keri took a deep breath and entered the kitchen. Anja was sitting at the big wooden table, eating pancakes topped in dark cherries. "That looks pretty good."

"It is, you want some?"

"No. I ate earlier, thanks anyway." She sat down and stared at the table. "I understand that Lewis couldn't possibly want you, but you need to understand something."

Anja looked up, radiating curiosity.

"If you so much as look at him in a sexual manner ever again, I will skin you alive."

"Ah, you realize I'm easily twice as strong and agile as you."

"I know that. It won't make a difference. Never underestimate the power of a woman keeping another away from her man."

Anja began to chuckle. "You know, you really got balls." She stood up and put her empty plate in the sink. "I like that. You're all right!"

"What?"

Grinning, Anja headed for the door that led outside. "I like you!"

Keri stood and walked back into the hallway, totally bemused.

"Keridwen, are you all right?" Lewis asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"I'm not really sure. I warned her away from you, threatened her actually. Then she decided she liked me. Weird." She shook her head.

Mark chuckled. Keri turned to look at him, startled at the sound coming from the normally stoic man. "You earned her respect. Not an easy thing to do, congratulations."

"Hmm. Okaaaay."

... ...

Keri stepped back to eye James critically. He was actually about the same size as Lewis, just a little shorter in the legs, so he was wearing his own jeans with the leather chaps and vest that they had acquired from Pit Bull's little gang. "Well, you look the part, anyway," she told him.

She had given him the keys to the storage locker and the bike, and a new license plate and VIN tags had been fabricated in a little shop off of the garage, and Mark had produced new registration papers.

The phone call had been made. Lewis had actually caught Bear last night at his mother-in-law's…Keri smiled to herself remembering Lewis' expression when he'd found out that Bear and Renee were actually legally married…so Bear was expecting their messenger.

James would be riding down to Pasadena with Anja, picking up the bike there and riding it to Glendale. Lewis had told Bear he needed them to run a diversion, but James would be carrying the details. It was beginning to look like the plan was a go for Sunday night.

**ELSEWHERE**

Dr. Caryn Townsend wheeled the cart into the observation room and patiently waited for the guards to take their positions before they opened the cell door. It was totally unnecessary, Tom wasn't going to try anything, but they didn't need to know that.

"Good morning, Tom," she said when they finally let her into the fifteen by twenty-five foot cell and closed the door behind her. The guards left the observation area as per their standing orders. "Just some routine readings today."

"All right, Dr. T." He rose from the floor where he'd been sitting in a meditative posture then walked over to the bunk, stretching on the way.

Caryn suppressed a sigh. He was…beautiful. There was no other word for it. And what the Ashton bitch's pet perverts had planned for him made her sick. "I'll just hook up these electrodes, then it's the usual questions and then we're done."

Tom frowned. "That's it? No MRI, no PET scan, nothing else today?"

"That's it." She sat down on the bunk beside him, her head drooping a bit. "Tom, we've completed the baseline testing. We've been ordered to have the schedule of advanced testing on the director's desk by Monday morning."

"I see."

She winced at his subdued tone and couldn't meet his eyes. "I'm sorry." Her voice dropped to a level that she knew would not be picked up by the audio equipment and she turned her face from the cameras. "We've drawn it out as long as we can, longer than we even thought possible. David came up with an excuse for a few more days…prioritizing the tests…but after that…" she twisted her hands together in her lap.

He reached out a hand to cover hers. "I understand. You have your own safety to consider. I…I appreciate all that you've done, you've risked for me. It's okay."

"No, damn it. It's not okay. But there's not a damn thing I can do about it." Caryn swallowed her tears, dashing a hand across her eyes. "Look, David got confirmation that his message was received. Your friends know where you are now. I'm sure they'll come as soon as they can."

One corner of his mouth turned up in a wry smile. "We just hope it's soon enough."

"Yes." She frowned; there was something else… "Oh! I overheard Ashton bitching out some of her people. Your friend Sloan managed to snatch Dr. Tate out from under their noses at the University Hospital. They've lost them, totally. She's free, Tom."

He shuddered. "Thank you. I…I really needed to hear that." Tom straightened and squeezed her hands gently. "As long as I know Sloan is okay, I can handle anything."

Caryn smiled shakily and resumed hooking up the equipment. She'd looked at the study proposals. No one could handle that. Not even a member of a species as hardy as Tom's was. If his friends didn't get here soon, he was going to die. There was no question in her mind. She blinked rapidly and bit her lip to hold back the tears.


	8. Chapter 8

Anja concentrated on downshifting as she took the Interstate 10 ramp off of I-210. James had been dropped off at the Public Storage facility in Pasadena. She'd waited down the street while he retrieved the bike and had left after he'd driven it past her. Now she had to go pick up the tall one and the bimbo.

She grumbled under her breath. It didn't matter what kind of education the sapiens female had, everything about her screamed bimbo. Her hair, the way she moved. Huh, and especially her clothes.

The Firehawk made short work of the thirty-mile stretch of I-10, and she was soon pulling off onto the road that led past the rocky terrain where the sapiens were camped.

There was a convenient dip beside the road less than fifty yards from where the old VW camper was parked. Anja tucked the Pontiac away there, grabbed her backpack, and strolled over. While there were better hiding places for the car, they were further away and she had not been exaggerating when she had told Mark that the male didn't look too healthy.

No one was in the small camp. Great. Anja shrugged and decided to get to work on the VW while she waited for them to return. She pulled out the remainder of their supplies and all personal items then began exchanging the VIN plates, lifting the chemical hazard cover and dropping the old ones into the Teflon container that held her hydrofluoric acid. Anja had moved on to changing the license plates when she felt the sapiens approach.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" the male shouted.

She gave him a sidelong glance as she turned the last screw. "What does it look like I'm doing?" Anja shook her head. Stupid question, she thought.

... ...

Ed stared at the young, leather-clad woman who was calmly changing his van's license plate. Okay. Different question. "Why are you changing my license plate?" He forced himself to remain calm.

"So that it can't be traced by Ashton's goon squad." She didn't say it, but he could almost hear the disdainful 'of course' tagged onto the end of her statement. "You are waiting here for the people who want to retrieve Tom Daniels, yes?"

"Uh, yeah." His eyes widened. She was one of _them_. Damn. Beautiful and arrogant, it figured. He turned as Sloan came up the slope.

"What's going on?" she asked breathlessly.

The young woman stood and brushed dust off of her leathers. "My name is Anja and I'm here to take you to the coexistence faction."

"What coexistence faction?" Sloan asked.

Anja rolled her eyes and turned back to the van. Ed could have sworn he heard her mutter 'bimbo' under her breath.

"Um, I'm with Sloan on that. We haven't heard of any coexistence faction," he said.

She turned back to him. "No? Dr. Attwood didn't tell you?"

"We haven't been able to reach Walter since the day before Tom was kidnapped," he told her.

"Damn. Well, some of my people believe we have to learn to live with yours and they want official recognition and protection from people like Ashton."

"That's the second time you've said that name. Who is he?" Sloan asked.

Anja stared at her. "She. The bitch that was holding Lewis and who kidnapped Tom Daniels."

"Perfect hair, clothes, teeth, rides in a limo all the time?"

"Yes."

"Oh, she's Walter's boss. We never knew her name."

"Whatever. Look, do you want help or not?"

Ed stared at the two women. There was an undercurrent here that he just was not getting. "Yeah," he interjected. "We want help."

"Fine. Get your stuff together; we'll be taking my car."

"What about my van?"

"Sorry champ. They know it, it's got to go."

Ed glumly began packing up his things. He'd had the old VW bus since he graduated from high school. He'd taken it surfing, camping, and even on a cross-country trip to Florida to check out the Atlantic Ocean's surf action. There were some great memories in it. He grinned. Oh yeah, the Cappelli twins, a pair of gorgeous raven-headed vixens who were crazy about guys with brains. Damn, he hadn't thought about them in years. He glanced at Anja. She reminded him of them a bit. Confident, strong, absolutely brazen with her sensuality…oh yeah.

"Ready to go?" Anja asked them after returning from moving the van down the road a bit.

Ed looked back at Sloan. She nodded. "Yeah, I guess so," he told Anja.

She picked up a backpack and something that looked like a cell phone and led the way down the side of the road. It sloped downhill into a gully. Ed's eyes widened as a sleek black car came into view.

"Wow, cool Firebird," he said.

Anja sniffed disdainfully. "Not a Firebird," she said."This," she continued, "is Firehawk, with a 335 HP, 5.7 liter, V8 engine. Officially, it can do 0-60 in 4.9 seconds and clock 103 mph to do the quarter mile in 13.5 seconds." She shrugged one leather-clad shoulder. "But I've done better in it."

"Damn, that's totally hot," Ed muttered, meaning more than the car. She turned to stare at him and he had the sudden feeling that she knew _exactly_ what he had really meant.

Anja smiled slowly and winked. "You better believe it," she said, then turned and continued to the car.

... ...

Anja helped Ed into the front passenger seat and stowed their belongings behind him and in the trunk. She walked past the bimbo who was bent over adjusting a shoe or something, got in the driver's seat and started to pull away.

"Whoa! Hold it!" Ed told her. "You forgot Sloan."

Sighing, she braked and opened the door, leaned forward and tilted the seat up to let the woman scramble in. She had forgotten nothing. If the…she bit off the thought. It wasn't charitable and if she acted on it, Mark would be pissed. They couldn't afford to lose the possible support of one of the Chosen, even if the council considered him a traitor.

Sloan dropped back into the rear seat at looked up at the rear view mirror. Anja could feel her suspicion that the 'oversight' had been intentional. "Sorry, had some rocks in my shoe," she said.

Anja snorted. "Say something next time." She put the Firehawk into gear and pealed back out onto the road, leaving a plume of rocks and gravel behind. Pulling up behind the van, she slowly edged the Pontiac up against the larger vehicle's rear bumper.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Ed asked nervously.

"You'll see." She had left the van's transmission in neutral, and had placed small rocks under the front tires after turning them in to face the edge of another gully. She gunned the motor of the Firehawk, grinning as the VW slowly toppled over the edge. She shifted, floored the accelerator, and depressed a button on the remote as they sped away. The carefully placed packs of C4 blew the van to bits, the flames from the exploding gas tank expanded over the edge of the gully and up the road as though reaching out to capture them. Anja laughed joyously as her car leapt away from the greedy flames.

Ed swallowed, looked back at the receding fireball then faced forward again. "So, where are we headed?"

"Fresno."

"You're kidding."

She glanced at him, then back at the road. "No. You have problem with Fresno?"

"Well, not really. It's just…well, there isn't anything in Fresno."

"Sure there is. Acres upon acres of grapes, almonds and I think, cotton."

"Agriculture central, huh?"

"Pretty much. Oh, then there's the new chameleon training facility."

Anja smirked as Sloan sat up and hit her head on the roof. "Ouch." She paused and rubbed her head. "Your coexistence faction is located in the same town as the chameleon training facility? Isn't that kind of dangerous?"

Anja frowned. She'd ignore her, but Ed was looking interested in the answer as well. "We're _at_ the new chameleon training facility," she told them, then grinned in delight at the sapiens woman's horrified look.

Ed wasn't looking real thrilled with that idea either. "Uh, did you just say…"

"We liberated it from the program after Lewis was taken by your Ashton bitch. It wasn't active yet, nobody knew about it but Lewis and a couple of chameleons that joined us. She did us a big favor when she took him into custody."

"And what if Lewis gets out and decides he wants it back?" Sloan asked.

Anja shrugged. "If he ask nice, maybe we give it to him." She smirked at their shocked expressions and cranked up the radio as she merged onto Interstate 10. Watching them run into Lewis at the facility was going to be great fun!

... ...

James sat on the Harley in front of the modest home in Glendale. At least two dozen other bikes were parked all over the front yard, and people dressed much like he was wandered in and out of the house through a side door.

"Who you looking for, handsome?" he was asked by a female who had to be even younger than him.

"I've got a message for Bear from Eric," he told her.

"Oh, cool. Bear's been waiting for you, come on inside."

The girl led the way into the house, stepping over satchels and what looked like saddlebags. She paused to roughhouse with a pair of beagles; then James followed her through a clean but disorderly kitchen. She stopped and opened a cooler.

"Have a beer," she invited.

"No, thank you."

"Don't drink?"

"I have business to attend to," James explained.

"Hell, handsome, loosen up!" She thrust a bottle at him.

It proved to be Michelob dark, a passable beer so far as commercial brews went. He decided to accept the hospitality and opened it, taking a sip before letting it dangle in his hand for show.

"Hey, what's your name?" she asked. "Mine's Amy."

"James."

"That's awful formal. Hmm, but you don't look like no Jimmy." Amy stared at him for a minute. "How 'bout we just call you 'J', huh?"

James stared at her, managing to suppress a sigh. "As you wish."

She rolled her eyes. "J, honey. You gotta drink some more of that beer and loosen up or you're gonna have yourself one hell of a lousy time, okay?"

This time the sigh escaped him. He looked at the bottle in his hand and took a healthy swig. It seemed to satisfy Amy and he followed as she led on, wondering at what point he would have to begin feigning inebriation. They finally emerged in the back yard, where a crowd of leather and denim clad people milled about several grills and sprawled on the long grass of the neglected lawn.

"Hey, Bear! The fella Eric sent is here!"Amy called out.

A tall stocky and muscular man with shaggy brown and gray streaked hair and a beard to match separated himself from the group around the far grill. He ambled over to them, resembling, for all the world, the ursine from which he took his name. "So Eric sent ya, huh?" he asked.

"Yes sir. I have the information he discussed with you." James hesitated as the man looked away. "About the help he requested…"

"Yeah, son. Ah 'member. Jest when does he need this help, 'n where, huh?"

"Sunday night in Salinas." James stepped closer and explained as much of the plan as Bear needed to know.

"Hmm. Okay." He turned away and faced the crowd. "Hey, lissenup!" Most of the group settled down immediately, except for a pair of men that were wrestling in the center of the yard. Grunts and muffled curses escaped the mass of dark and pale flesh that rolled back and forth as one or the other would gain control. "Goddamnit. Java, Davey; that means you too. Shi-it." Bear waded into the center of the twisting legs and arms, reaching in with both hands. After a brief struggle, the mass resolved itself into two thirty-something males, both with military-style haircuts, both laughing their asses off.

"Aw, hell Bear. We was having fun!" the black man said.

"I don' give a shit, Java. When ah say lissenup, ya'll are supposed to lissenup, damn it. SEALs may put up with your shit, but ah ain't gonna."

The blonde, who by elimination must have been Davey, snorted. "Who says the fuckin' SEALs put up with it?"

"They ain't kicked yer sorry asses out yet, now have they?" Bear asked. "Ah don' wanna hear it," he said as they both started talking again. "Jest shut yer traps."

James took another long swig of beer, and looked for a place to discard the now empty bottle.

"Here," said a voice at his shoulder. He looked back and saw Amy reach out to grab the empty and replace it with a full bottle.

"Thanks."

"Anytime, handsome."

... ...

Bear looked back at the kid Eric had sent. He glared as he noticed Amy practically hanging on him. Goddamn girl, he thought, shaking his head. She always went for the dangerous ones. Had nothing to do with looking dangerous. This one couldn't have been more than twenty-five and looked like a choirboy in need of a haircut. But this was another one of them damned supermen. He could feel it in his bones.

"All right!" he shouted; then went on a bit more quiet-like. "Now that ah got ever-body's attenshun," he paused to glare at Davey and Java. "We bin asked to take a ride up ta Salinas on Sunday and maybe fuck wit traffic justa bit."

There was laughter and the expected lewd comments about what kind of traffic people wanted them to fuck with, and the bitching about only fucking with it just a bit. One person thought to ask, "What for?" Bear grinned.

"A vet buddy a mine, the SEAL that saved my sorry ass in 'Nam, he's got some problems with the spooks. Theys holdin' a cousin a his, and he's gonna get him out."

At least five folks immediately volunteered to help bust the cousin out of the spook's care. That was cool, Bear decided. The club that Amy-girl had brought south with her had guts. Coupla vets with them too.

"Nah, he's got that all handled. What he needs is folks to run interference on the way out…make sure the spooks can't follow 'em, savvy?"

There was a lot of shouting, smacking of bottles together, and laughing. Everybody looked pretty jazzed about the idea. Which was cool. He'd told Eric…Bear wondered if he'd ever find out the man's real name…that they could handle it. He turned back to the kid.

"Okay, son. Ya'll got yerself a major distraction."

"Thank you. We appreciate it."

Bear shook his head at the kid's formality. "Son, ya'll need some more beer."

... ...

Sloan gaped as they entered the house…no, small mansion. It reminded her of the house Lewis and Lisa had been renting, except it was fully furnished. Boy was it furnished. All of the furniture looked practical, but it also screamed expensive. A lot of the lamps were Tiffany style…and there was at least one she'd be willing to swear was a genuine antique Tiffany original.

A woman walked down the wide curving staircase to greet them. "Ah, Dr. Parker, Dr. Tate, so good of you to join us." Her smile seemed a little cold, but polite, and her tone was genuinely welcoming. Not like that little bitch that had driven them there. Sloan wasn't sure what stick had gotten up that one's ass, but she was glad that Anja did not seem to be a decision-maker. "I trust your journey was pleasant?" the woman continued as she reached the foot of the stairs.

Ed opened his mouth to say something; by the look on his face it was not complimentary. Sloan stepped on his foot. "It was fine, interesting car and driver," she said quickly.

One light brown, almost honey colored eyebrow rose. "I see." She shrugged. "Are you hungry? Dinner is being served now. Or if you'd like to be shown your rooms first, we could fix you something a bit later."

Sloan looked at Ed. She could almost see his mouth watering, and it was not at the looks of the blue-eyed woman, no matter how spectacular those were. "Dinner would be great. If it's not too much trouble, ah…"

"Alexa."

"Alexa. Thank you. I'm Sloan and this is Ed."

"Yes. I know." She turned and walked past them. "The dining room is this way."

"Sloan," Ed whispered as they followed. "Is it me, or does she look familiar?"

"I thought it was me," she whispered back. The woman stopped short and turned to face them.

"You should probably get used to the idea that it will be next to impossible for you to hold a private conversation here. Our hearing is far more acute than yours is and even if we are not within range, you will still likely be picked up by the security system. It was designed by Lewis and is state of the art."

Sloan flushed. "I'm sorry; we didn't mean to offend you…"

"Not at all," Alexa assured them. "I see you have noticed the resemblance to my sire." She opened the door to what proved to be a formal dining room. "Well, Lewis," she said as she stepped inside. "You seem to have made such an impression on your acquaintances that they all immediately recognize me as being of your blood."

Ed grabbed Sloan's arms as she started to sink to the floor. She had nightmares like this. Across the formal dining table, a fork halfway to his mouth sat Lewis.

... ...

Laughter shattered the silence but was swiftly stifled. Lewis looked over to where Anja had just seated herself beside Mark who was staring at her with sharp disapproval. Dr. Parker looked like she was on the verge of fainting. Anja had obviously ignored her orders and had not prepared the two scientists for his presence. Keridwen stood up.

"Anja!" she scolded. She moved around the table to where Sloan Parker and Ed Tate stood staring at him. "Hi, you must be Sloan and Ed, I'm Keri," she told them. "Walter and Mr. Peterson should be down in a minute. Why don't you both have a seat?"

"Walter is here," Sloan asked shakily. "He knows…"

"Yes. It's okay, really. Lewis wants Tom free as badly as you do."

Lewis' mouth twitched. Despite the danger to his mate that provoking allies could cause, even pathetic ones such as these, he could not resist the dig. "Of course, once he _is_ free, all agreements are off."

Sloan stiffened. "You can't trust him," she told Keridwen urgently. "He's a dangerous man."

Lewis laughed outright. He sat back and raised an eyebrow as his mate glared at him.

"I know that Sloan, but I love him anyway." Keridwen smiled at Dr. Parker's horrified expression.

"You're one of…"

"No. I'm not. I'm Danielle Ashton's cousin." Keridwen frowned at the lack of recognition on Sloan's face. "You know; the one he supposedly kidnapped."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Then you're the only one, or two, I assume, that does not," Walter Attwood said as he entered the room.

"Walter!" Sloan ran over to the stout scientist and hugged him. Attwood, to his credit, was somewhat embarrassed. The police detective…former, Lewis reminded himself…was hugged as well when he followed Attwood into the room.

"Good to see you're okay, Sloan," he said. "You too, Tate."

"Thanks, Ray," the tall doctor spoke up.

"Well," Walter said. "Let's have dinner, shall we? I'll fill you in later."

"But…"

"Sloan…" he interjected. "These are our hosts and allies. The gentleman at the head of the table is Mark Ward. He's the section leader for the West Coast portion of what I'm told is a sizable coexistence faction. You've met Anja Martin, and I assume, Alexa Lewis. This is Robert Stevens, he and Alexa were chameleons, like Tom. You know Lewis and you've just met Keri Ashton. She's Danielle Ashton's cousin, Senator Grant Ashton's granddaughter. And this is Jeffrey Garrett."

Most of the company nodded politely, Anja sneered. While Lewis could understand her antipathy towards Sloan, she did need a lesson in control and manners. Jeffrey stood up and took Sloan's hand. She stared at him, her expression puzzled. "Alexa, I think our Sloan is just very good with faces." They both turned to stare at him. "Dr. Parker," he continued more formally. "Jeffrey's father and Tom's were birth siblings."

**ELSEWHERE**

"God, David, I don't know if I can keep this up," Caryn moaned. "He's just so, so calm about it all. Do you think he even understands what they want to do to him?"

David sat back in the booth. They were sharing a quiet dinner at Applebee's; they knew they couldn't talk in their cars, the lab, or their apartments. Ironically, the only places they could have private conversations were in public or in Tom's cell. "He understands, Caryn. That's what's so damn tragic about it; that and the fact that he doesn't expect or even want us to lift a finger to prevent it."

Caryn Townsend shuddered and dropped her head into her hands. The straight auburn strands of her hair slid forward and formed a curtain over her face, mercifully covering the blue-green tear filled eyes. David wasn't sure if he could continue to look at them and not cry himself. It had been different with Lewis. You could tell that he was the enemy. It was in every word he said, every movement he made…even when he was cooperating with Keri Ashton, or helping him and Reilly off the floor, you never forgot he was imminently dangerous. Tom Daniels was completely different. Every movement he made shouted innocence. Even when Tom had asked him if he was sure he wanted to risk himself, telling him that he had been just like Lewis…no. Maybe he had killed, but David couldn't bring himself to believe that Tom had ever enjoyed it. And he was certain that Lewis had.

"We've got to do something, David. If they don't come by tomorrow night…we can't let them go through with this experiment. I mean, it's the least harmful and…hell, he's not likely to survive it. And I don't even want to think about the pain he'll be in."

"I know, Caryn. I know." He sighed. "If they don't come tomorrow, why don't you call in sick on Monday?"

"That's the coward's way out, David. You know me better than that."

Yes, he did. But he didn't want her there when he exercised their final and only other option. "You know that there is no way that we can get him out of there," he said softly.

She sniffled, and wiped her nose with a tissue. "I know it."

"You call in sick Monday. I'll make sure they can't hurt him."

Caryn stared at him in shock. "David, you know what they'll do to you if…"

"No, they won't. Because I'll make sure they can't hurt me, either."

The tears started to run down her face. "Oh God, David…no. You have a family. What about your son?"

"His mother will take care of him and his stepfather is a good man."

"I can't let you do this. Look, I'm the one who always gets so emotional in there. I'm the one who has already been reprimanded about being too sympathetic to the subject. And I don't have any family left. Let me do it. Keep yourself busy in Ashton's office when the experiment is due to start. All I have to do is substitute the drugs. As soon as they realize they can't revive him, then I'll inject myself."

"Caryn, no…"

"David, please. One of us has to be in a position to stop this from happening again. You didn't hire me, so she can't blame you for my actions. You've had meals out with all of the doctoral staff so there's no suspicion there so you can be properly horrified at what I've done. And you're the one who has contacts on the outside; contacts who might actually be able to intervene…to put an end to Danielle Ashton's private little shop of horrors." She dried her eyes and stared at him. "Well, am I right?"

David Bowman nodded slowly, knowing he was likely condemning his friend to death. "I hate it, but yes, you're right."

She smiled, somewhat sadly, and picked up her glass of wine. "Okay, you're the big-time Treker, what is it the Klingons say? Oh yeah…it's a good day to die!"


	9. Chapter 9

James started as something wet wiped against his nose. He reached out reflexively and closed a hand around his attacker's neck. A doggy whimper brought him into the present and he opened his eyes to the sight of one of the beagles half-standing on his chest. He released the terrified dog slowly, patting its flank to reassure it.

The late afternoon sun illuminated the small room. A slight weight was settled across his stomach. He glanced down his bare chest and saw Amy stretched across him. James frowned as he realized his chest was not the only part of him that was unclothed. The girl's long dark brown hair was spread across his thighs, the silky strands caressing his genitals.

With that thought, James was awake, totally. And aroused. The day and night before snapped back into focus. Amy had kept bringing him beer. He'd lost count after an even dozen, and had allowed her to lure him into slow dancing with her in a dark corner near the stereo. She'd continued to switch his empty bottles with full ones, and then…

He'd procreated with a sapiens! James sat up suddenly. Mark was going to kill him. And what would Lewis do? These people were under his protection. Damn, he was in deep shit.

Her sleep disturbed, Amy sat up…her hair dragging across his lap as she moved. James groaned at the sensation. She turned her face up to him, smiling, and pulled his lips down to hers for a kiss. He felt her tongue slip into his mouth, and she greedily sucked on his.

The hell with Mark and Lewis, he thought. He took the female into his arms and groaned again as she wrapped herself around him. Her legs closed around his hips as she carefully took his erection deep inside her wet heat. James twisted, pulling Amy beneath him, and began a horizontal dance that elicited delighted moans from his writhing partner.

... ...

Lewis sat in the window seat and brooded. Things were not going as planned. The facility he had designed and carefully built piece by piece over the past decade was occupied by fools if not outright traitors. To watch them running the estate much as he had envisioned it pained him like a festering wound – because there didn't seem to be a damned thing he could do about it, at the moment. He grudgingly admitted that they were running it efficiently. It was small comfort. He looked up as Keridwen sighed. She was also nothing like he would have planned. Not that one _could_ plan a bond mate…such things simply happened.

Although it was only early evening, his mate was asleep in their bed. They had spent a long day reviewing possible scenarios for tomorrow's operation in Salinas. Keridwen had been included in the work group to give predictions of her cousin's reaction to any tactic they might employ. Her input had been vital. He had not seen the need to include Attwood and Peterson, but supposed it could have been worse. At least it had not been suggested that Dr. Parker be present.

Keridwen had asked him to be open-minded, to at least try and see the woman from his cousin's point of view. Impossible. Tom's judgment had obviously been skewed by a conflict between his mission programming and the memory block imposed after the great betrayal. He was beginning to wonder if the recent drug therapy he had used had actually reinforced Tom's delusions about the sapiens. Once Tom was retrieved he'd have to remove all programming and see if he could remove the memory block. What was needed to protect a child could be harming the man Tom had become.

He moved towards the hidden panel, there were plans to review and the security for Keridwen here while he was gone to consider…he stopped as she threw the covers off and turned onto her back. Lewis found himself smiling as he walked over to check on her. Her wild curls tumbled over the pillow; some of their original red was beginning to show through as the temporary dye faded. A slight pout curved her lips, and the red-gold lashes that framed her large eyes rested on her soft cheeks.

She was wearing a silk nightgown. He had sent Alexa out to pick up clothing for his mate. Some of his own had already been stored here in anticipation of his move from their Nevada encampment. He had not included this particular garment on his list, but evidently Keridwen had confided her dislike of sleeping in the nude to Alexa. Lewis brushed the backs of his fingers down his mate's cheek, then over her lips and chin. He continued the casual caress, touching the small scar on the side of her neck then the hardening peaks of her breasts through the midnight blue silk.

Keridwen had given him so much. Not only his life…twice, but her trust, her desires, and her dreams. His dreams as well. Lewis' hand moved down to rest on her abdomen. Soon the plumpness that she so despised would be lost in the roundness of pregnancy. He had scented the change in her hormones yesterday, but had not yet told her. There would be time enough once Tom had been retrieved and he had made a decision on what to do with these…intruders.

Once Tom had been retrieved and the programming conflicts resolved things would be different. Together they could overset the council. They were the Chosen of this place and time…the ones described in the precognitive visions of their ancestors three generations ago. The ones their people should follow to ensure their survival. They _would_ choose the same path. They had to or there would be confusion, anarchy.

There were other Chosen, others whose actions would determine their people's future. But each set of Chosen was tied to a distinct time period, a separate prophecy. He, Tom, and two others were marked with the same brand, the marks that corresponded with the arrival of Kewley's comet this fall. The others were dead. One had fallen during the betrayal. The other had died fleeing the sapiens the night their people were ordered to abandon Los Angeles. A drunk driver, of all things, had removed his actions from consideration.

Only he and Tom were left now, two sides of the same coin. The prophecies had known that as well. He remembered that section of the text:

_Four shall begin, yet two shall remain._

_The treasure of one line, two sides of the same coin._

_Light and dark, their path shall be as one then rent asunder._

_Yet both will choose fire and be purified in its flame._

_Follow them well, our survival depends upon it._

"Lewis?" Keri mumbled, still half asleep.

"Yes, my own?"

She sat up and moved into his arms. "I had a bad dream, people I knew were dying."

He stroked her back. "Anyone I know?"

"No. Well, I'm not sure. I don't exactly know who they were, just that I knew them and trusted them.

"Hmm. Did you have the chili at dinner?"

Keri sighed. No. Besides, I never get food nightmares."

"What did you eat?" he asked as her stomach growled.

"Um, well…"

"You skipped dinner," Lewis stated rather than asked.

"I wasn't really hungry."

"You are too concerned about your weight," he corrected her.

She sighed again. "Yeah, well, I'm surrounded by bodies beautiful. It's getting to me." Keri frowned at his chuckle. "It's not funny."

"No, Keridwen, but neither is starving yourself. Tomorrow we start that walking we discussed, hmm?"

"Okay."

"And tonight, you will raid the kitchen for a healthy snack to tide you over until breakfast."

"Hmm, milk and fruit?"

"Excellent choice. I have work to do," he told her gesturing towards the hidden panel he had shown her. "Perhaps you could collect a snack for both of us and bring it up?"

Keri grinned. "Absolutely." She kissed him quickly then slid out of bed and headed for the door.

"Keridwen…" he began in a warning tone.

She stopped. "What?"

"Get dressed first."

She flushed then giggled. "Oh, yeah. Good idea."

"Hmm."

... ...

Mark frowned as he listened to the 'request' made over the phone. It wasn't that he minded fulfilling it; the question was where and how. "I'll get back to you in a few minutes," he told the caller.

He was certain that he had heard Keri come downstairs, and listened carefully in the hall to locate her. His extra senses had been honed to read people directly, on a face to face basis, unlike the chameleons and soldiers who could tell where a person was and who they were…at least whether they were enemy or friend…at varying distances depending on the level of their gifts. Mark had never regretted that difference until the night Paul was killed. If he had felt the hostile intent of the snipers just a few seconds sooner...

Paul had been selected for the leadership program, one of the few programs that did not take volunteers. He could not have sensed their attackers either. The training of his gifts had allowed him to influence people, convince them of his wisdom, competence and abilities. He had served on the council for nearly a dozen years before founding the coexistence faction, and for a dozen years thereafter. It had been his decision to have Mark contact Danielle Ashton after receiving Lewis' reports of how the woman had supported Tom Daniels' friends. Tragically, both he and Lewis had been wrong.

Now Mark had to rely on another's gift yet again. Keri Ashton had learned to tell truth from lies, instinctively knew whom she should trust and whom she should not. It had led her into an unlikely, but somehow fitting match with Lewis. He was hoping she could reassure him on the subject at hand.

... ...

Keri puttered happily in the kitchen. They were a bit low on fruit. One lonely bunch of grapes had been all that she could find. What she _had_ found was a baguette of French bread and three kinds of cheese. A generous slice of Brie now roasted in the oven, along with some garlic, and she was cutting Extra Sharp New York Cheddar and a bit of Swiss into bite size chunks.

"Good evening, Keri," Mark said from the half-open door to the hall. Keri put the knife down carefully. She hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings and had nearly sliced a fingertip off. Lewis would be pissed as all hell if he found out…not about the finger, about her inattention to her safety.

"Hi, what's up?"

He frowned as he entered the room. "Lewis allowed you to come downstairs alone?"

Keri chuckled. "Yeah, amazing, isn't it? Actually, he's busy double checking all the plans for tomorrow. I think he's gotten a bit more confident of your security; he's not worried about my safety in the house anymore. Though god forbid I should so much as step outside alone."

"Hmm, still obsessing on that."

"Yeah, still."

Mark sighed. "I'm sorry, Keri. Carla will be back in the morning; perhaps she will have some ideas. Alexa and Robert agree with you about his excessive fears for your safety, but other than that they've noticed nothing out of character."

"Then they aren't looking hard enough," Keri muttered.

"Unless there is concrete proof, we cannot…"

"My word doesn't count?"

"It's not that we don't believe you. On the contrary, you say he is different than the man you accepted as mate and we are certain he is. But what if his treatment by your cousin affected him? What if this is what he was like before his incarceration, other than the issues with your safety, of course."

"You don't understand. My gift is different than yours. I read deeper than you can imagine…I don't just see the mind, the emotions. I see the heart and soul."

"Keri, please…"

"Go ahead and scoff all you like. But that's what's different. There used to be light and joy in him. It was deep, buried. But now I can't find it at all." She dropped down on a chair. "Look, we're not getting anywhere with this, so let's drop it. What did you need?"

Mark shrugged. "The bikers that Lewis requested help from. Are they trustworthy?"

"Yes, very."

"If they are given information and swear not to reveal it…"

"They'd die first. These guys are vets, most of them. They got us past roadblocks even after Lewis had pissed their leader off. Bear even took us to his in-law's home…his wife's home. You can trust them."

"Thank you."

... ...

The phone rang for far too long and Mark was becoming concerned. When it was answered, he heard a female giggling in the immediate background. "Yes."

"Send them here," Mark told his agent. I'll tell the guards to expect them. I need them to arrive no later than 0900 so that we can get them settled before we leave."

"No problem."

Mark replaced the phone and looked at the dormitory records. Hopefully they had enough room for the expected arrivals.

... ...

Keri had looked at the loaded tray and realized there was no way she would successfully get it up two fights of stairs, especially once she poured the milk. She looked around the kitchen for an alternative. Tucked on top of the refrigerator was a stack of cotton shopping bags from Trader Joe's intended for the pseudo environmentally conscious yuppies that shopped there. Keri bet that the dominants had other reasons. She pulled two down and loaded one of them with a half-gallon container of milk, two glasses, a bag with the cold cheeses, another with the grapes, and a large cloth napkin. She wrapped the casserole containers with the baked garlic and Brie in kitchen towels before loading them into the other bag, then added the baguette she'd also warmed in the oven for just a few minutes before putting it back in its paper sleeve.

After sliding the two bags over her left shoulder, she picked up the tray and made her way upstairs. She was almost to their door when she realized she'd forgotten a knife. "Oh shit," she muttered; then remembered that there should be one in the kitchenette. She wasn't terribly surprised when the suite's door opened before she could reach for the knob.

She had spread out the food on a small table that Lewis had moved beside the chaise. They were comfortably ensconced in the lounge, Keri sitting in front of Lewis and snuggled against his chest, listening to one of his classical CDs. The kitchenette had been bare of utensils; she made a mental note to have that corrected. But Lewis had a knife. In fact, he had used the opportunity to show her his weapon stash…more like a munitions depot if the truth were told.

Keri sighed as he held another chunk of bread spread with warm Brie and garlic to her lips. "I'm full."

"No, you are not."

Leaning her head back on his shoulder she gave him her best stubborn look. He chuckled, kissed her, and presented the food once again.

"Keridwen, I can feel your stomach complaining about the emptiness. How much of your breakfast did you eat? I know you ate very little lunch."

She sighed again and opened her mouth for the bread. The thing she hated most about this over-protectiveness was his tendency to treat her like a child. Keri chewed thoughtfully. She could almost hear Lewis' mental preoccupation with the plans for tomorrow beating in time to the music. He had confided to her that the mathematical precision of many classical works helped him to think.

"Lewis, don't the good times you had with Marjorie and your children help you deal with their deaths at all?" He stiffened. "I mean, when my parents died, I was traumatized, but I learned to remember how much they loved me, and the happiness we had together. There were enough of those memories for me to hold on to."

He took a deep breath. "Keridwen, all that I can see anymore is the life draining from their bodies. In my dreams their blood still covers me and I hear Marjorie begging me to save the children." His arms tightened around her. "They died before she did…there was nothing I could do for any of them but take revenge."

"But what about when you were together, how about when the babies were born…"

"They are dead. Nothing from before can exist…it is all gone…the past is as dead as they are," he grated in a bitter voice.

Keri pushed the table away and turned in his arms. She held him tightly as the pain raged through him, murmuring words of love, promising to stay safe, until he finally slept.

She couldn't help but think she had missed something vital.

... ...

Mark walked down the hall to the Master suite and paused outside the door. There was no one inside. He turned and entered his own rooms at the end of another branch of the Y-shaped building, and stepped out onto the balcony. A brief search revealed Lewis strolling along the perimeter of the property with Keridwen all but trotting to keep up.

Checking the time he decided to wait until they had returned to inform Lewis of the expected arrivals. It was only 0730. He smiled as he realized that the chameleons had him thinking in military time.

He had finished checking his email and the last minute reports when he heard the distinct sound of several Harley Davidson motorcycles. They were earlier than he'd expected and Lewis had not yet been warned of their impending arrival. This could be bad.

Mark rushed outside in time to feel Lewis' wave of fury as he identified the new arrivals. "Get inside," Lewis told Keri.

"I'm fine here," she said in a reasonable tone. "These are our friends. They won't hurt me."

"We have no friends," he hissed quietly enough that the newcomers could not hear it. "Go inside where you are safe."

"Lewis, I was looking…" Mark began.

"Again, you made a decision that affects my mate's safety without informing me. What poor excuse would you like to offer this time?"

Mark sighed. "You had already retired and I thought…"

"No, you did not think." He grabbed Keri by one arm and marched towards the house. "Come with us," he ordered Mark.

After pausing to order a wide-eyed Anja to show their guests to the dorm area, Mark followed Lewis inside. Robert and Alexa followed right on his heels.

... ...

The air in the study vibrated with Lewis' anger. "You had no business bringing them here."

"Their men are going to risk their lives to help us," Mark said. "The least we can do in return is to guarantee the women's safety."

"You should have sent them elsewhere."

"Lewis, we are already short on personnel for this mission. You've told me that yourself. We could not afford to split the rear guard to cover two groups of non-combatants. Bringing them here was the only viable option."

"By bringing them here you have condemned them. I cannot allow knowledge of this facility…"

"It is only a facility. We can get another."

"I spent a decade building this one. It was perfect." He turned to glare at Alexa and Robert. "I am surrounded by betrayal."

"Lewis, please!" Keri said, grabbing him by the waist. "This isn't a problem. Bear's people will keep their mouths shut, you know that."

"Keridwen, your safety is too important to take that chance." He pushed her away and turned back to Mark. "The risk must be eliminated. Either you deal with it, or I will. Understood?"

"I am not your executioner, Lewis."

"Damn it, Lewis, you are _not_ going to kill them!" Keri recoiled as he spun to face her. "You owe them lives…_Our lives_. You owe them my life twice over. You can't repay their trust with murder."

He ignored her, turning back to Mark. "Deal with it before we leave. I will not be as merciful as I suspect you will manage." He turned on his heel and retreated up the stairs. Keri dropped into a chair, curled up in a ball and sobbed.

... ...

"What in creation happened here?" Carla asked as she entered the study. "Lewis looked like he was ready to kill someone."

"He is," Mark said tiredly.

"Something's wrong with him. I keep telling you…" Keri's voice was muffled, her head buried in her arms.

Alexa nodded as Carla looked to her for confirmation. "Something is very wrong. One of the basic tenets that Lewis teaches his chameleons is to honor life debts until and unless the one to whom you owe the debt betrays you in some way. These people have not betrayed him; they have, in fact, offered to risk their lives for his sake yet again."

"True," Robert confirmed. "I have never seen him like this. These people are not legitimately our prey, not yet. There is no reason to kill them at this time."

"Keri?" Carla said, laying a gentle hand on the younger woman's shoulder. "Have you picked up on anything else? Mark told me about the over-protectiveness."

Keri shuddered and slowly looked up. Her face was wet with tears and her eyes were red rimmed. "It's been getting worse. When he feels in control he's okay, but when the least thing happens that he hasn't planned for with several contingencies, he goes off. Totally and completely paranoid." She glanced at Mark. "Don't tell me I'm wrong. I know paranoia when I see it."

"I know that you do. I'm aware that psychology was a major part of the required course work for your degree."

Keri laughed. The sound seemed to be on the edge of hysteria…Carla was worried. If Lewis' condition unbalanced Keri they would have a serious problem on their hands.

"Yeah. A whole fucking lot of good my degree is doing me." She was rocking back and forth in the chair, also not a good sign. "I mean, you'd think I'd be an expert in things like this, right? Isn't this whole bond thing a Parapsychologist's wet dream? Carla, I blew it, I know it's my fault. He was fine before I started messing with his psyche."

"He was dying before you reclaimed him from madness," Carla corrected her. "Keri, reclamation is not an exact science. No two cases are the same. And yours was especially difficult. We've never had a case where the mate doing the reclaiming was the patient's second mate." She sighed. "It's a miracle you were able to help him at all."

"I know," Keri said in a small voice. "I felt you lie to me about the odds, I just didn't want to call you on it. Thought maybe it was better if I didn't know exactly how impossible it was."

"And that is why I lied." Carla frowned. "Has there been anything else different, or wrong?"

"He's fixating on the memories of Marjorie and the children's deaths. He won't talk about their lives together at all."

"Won't or can't?"

"What?"

"Does he refuse, or can he not access the memories?"

"Um, let me think…we just talked about it, or rather, _didn't_ talk about it last night." She fell silent. "Okay, he said, and I quote, all that I can see anymore is the life draining from their bodies. And then, he said, they are dead. Nothing from before can exist…it is all gone…the past is as dead as they are. I think that's it."

"Hmm, okay, think carefully now. When you were in his mind, what memories did you see?"

"Lewis holding Marjorie and the children as they died, and fighting the soldiers."

"Nothing else?"

"No. There was a tornado, I willed myself to his side. Interrupted the memory sequence and explained to him who I was and why I was there. Convinced him that I needed him, and then the tornado took down the walls where he was and we held onto each other and then we were back."

Carla's eyes drifted closed. "Oh my."

Keri frowned thoughtfully. "Oh no." She clutched Carla's arm. "You don't think…?"

"It certainly sounds like it. I'll go have a word with him. I knew him when he was bonded with Marjorie…which is probably why he didn't recognize me. It should be easy enough to determine."

"Oh god, I really screwed up."

"No Keri. You did what you could. Maybe it required two sessions. Considering the control he learned throughout his career as a chameleon and later the program master, it's not surprising that he's managed to hide it this long."

... ...

Lewis repacked the equipment bag he would be taking on the operation for the sixth time. He was certain something was missing. A presence in the hall caught his attention. It was Carla Richard. If she was here to protest the deaths of the biker's women, she could save her breath. Nothing could be allowed to endanger Keridwen. Not this close to when he'd have the means to ensure her safety. Tom would help him. Tom had seen much of his own family die. Of all people, Tom would understand.

He rose and opened the door to find Carla standing patiently outside.

"Good morning, Lewis. You dashed by so quickly downstairs that I didn't get a chance to confirm my instructions with you. Am I supposed to be in the cargo van with Dr. Tate, or did you want me to ride with someone else and only step in if we have injuries?"

Lewis blinked, his mind shifted back to the mission. "The van will be well guarded. It would be appropriate for you to ride in there."

"Fine. My, I haven't had this much excitement in decades. "Remember at the children's third birthday celebration when the snow collapsed the roof?"

He paused, counting back. In 1974 he'd been in Alaska. "Yes, when I was assigned to divert part of the pipeline for our use. There was a great deal of snow that year, small wonder that the roof couldn't take it," he said uncertainly.

Carla sighed. "Yes, it was. Well, I'll let you get back to your preparations." She turned and took a few steps towards the door, then paused. "By the way," she said, turning back to him.

Here it came, he thought with annoyance. The expected plea for lives.

"Had it occurred to you that there is a far less drastic solution to dealing with the security problem that Mark caused?"

"Such as?"

"What if I used a bit of drug therapy to change their memory of the location of this facility? It would be a simple matter; they are only sapiens, after all."

Lewis smiled. He decided he liked this about Carla. She did not decry a death without offering a logical alternative. And this would please Keridwen as well. "If you can do this, it will be acceptable. Otherwise, they will die."

"I'll see to it."

... ...

Keri ran up the stairs. Lewis had agreed on memory alteration for the biker's women. Not that they would actually be doing it, but he didn't have to know that until after she'd tried to fix whatever she'd screwed up in his head. Carla had confirmed that Lewis had no memories of Marjorie or the children other than their deaths. There had been no third birthday celebration or collapsed roof. Everyone had been snowed in. Keri would have to go back into Lewis' mind through the bond to find and release the missing memories, but that would have to wait until after the mission.

Because the biker's women would be here, Lewis had decided that she should go along after all. She'd wanted to go in the first place, but Lewis thought it would be too dangerous for her in spite of the advantage of having her there in case Dani showed up and could change things on the fly.

She opened the door to find Lewis down on the floor in one of those odd postures he favored. He had assured her they aided meditation, but they all looked terribly uncomfortable.

"I've laid clothing out for you on the bed," he said quietly.

"Okay." She changed quickly. They were scheduled to leave in less than half an hour. She had just tugged on her boots when he literally flowed to his feet. It was sexy as all hell, but it gave her the chills each time she saw it. The movement was one of the few things that reminded her just how inhuman he was. "Ready," she told him.

"Good. Do you have your weapon?"

"Yes, and a backup, and spare clips for both."

"Excellent."

"Lewis, thank you."

His eyebrows rose. "Death should always be the final solution."

**ELSEWHERE**

She had found the neat stack of proposals complete with a cover letter prioritizing them on her desk when she arrived to fit in some extra work time. Her Sunday's were usually sacrosanct, but the delays in this project were eating into her carefully plotted time frame.

Danielle frowned as she passed the lab on her way out. Caryn Townsend was there, and she was not scheduled to be on duty tonight. "Good evening, Dr. Townsend," she said. The woman looked up, her eyes were swollen and tears stained her cheeks. Danielle's expression grew colder. The woman was proving to be troublesome. A pity, she thought. She'd found the Behavioral Neuroscientist quite attractive.

"Ms. Ashton! I didn't know you were here," she said, her voice quavering.

"Obviously. The question is, Doctor, why are you here?"

Dr. Townsend flushed. "Well, the advanced studies begin tomorrow. And…well…considering the likely outcome I just thought it would be cruel to leave him alone with his thoughts."

Danielle's perfectly waxed eyebrow rose. "Are you going to swallow your tears and hold his hand all night?" she asked facetiously.

The younger woman's chin lifted. "If that's what he needs, yes."

"I suppose it's too late to warn you not to get too attached," she offered, her tone dry as she continued on her way. She smiled as the softly muttered word 'bitch' floated down the hall after her.

She stared out the window of her limo, watching the bland scenery whip by. One day this type of research would be able to be brought out into the open. Then she could lease decent condos within a reasonable commute of her facilities…or perhaps equip those facilities with helipads and then actually live at home for a change.

... ...

Danielle blinked and almost missed the strange sight of David Bowman's Ford heading in the opposite direction. She sat up, her intuition screaming at her. This was no coincidence. "Turn the car around," she ordered her driver. "We need to return to the lab." Her eyes narrowed as she pulled out her new cell phone. Perhaps Tom would have two human companions as control subjects during the advanced studies.


	10. Chapter 10

Keri sat quietly between Lewis and one of the soldiers, a youngish blonde named Stephen. She was craving more physical contact with Lewis, but he was very…wired, and she could tell that it would most definitely _not_ be welcomed. She also suppressed a sigh. The armored Mercedes ate up the miles with a feline grace; the engine actually seemed to be purring. Every so often she would catch a glimpse of one of the other vehicles in their group. They had started out in staggered intervals so as not to be so obviously together. Lewis had spread the group's leadership among the different vehicles. Each had all the operation details and the codes for contacting the others. The humans in the party had been relegated to guarding the medical vehicle, an oversized cargo van, under Alexa's command. Sloan was riding in the van with Ed and Carla. Keri had been surprised to see Sloan climbing into the Step van, and in fact would have missed it if not for Anja's disgusted comment about taking a bimbo into combat. Keri had been floored when Lewis had rounded on the young woman, telling her to stand down and learn discretion before he found it necessary to teach it to her. Anja had paled, said 'Yes sir!' and retreated to her assigned vehicle.

Keri was still very curious as to why they had brought Sloan. She looked at Lewis…he seemed calm enough now… "Lewis, can I ask a question or should I save it for after?"

He glanced at her and nodded. "Go ahead, ask."

"Why are we bringing Sloan?"

"A good question; and I don't mean that sarcastically," he said. "If Tom is injured or ill, he will need to see someone he trusts implicitly. And as much as it galls me to admit it, the good doctor is the only one who fits that description at the moment."

"Oh. He doesn't trust the others? I thought they were his friends?"

"The key is implicit trust. The others have been wary of him, with good reason. Dr. Parker, for some reason, has trusted him since she met him. I think perhaps it was that trust that broke the already fractured mission programming."

"I don't understand this programming thing…"

"_That_ is a question for later," Lewis interrupted.

She settled back in the seat.

He looked at her again; she could feel him reading her, then he put an arm around her shoulders to draw her close. "Behave yourself and do not distract me, hmm?"

Keri smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder.

... ...

Anja was not a happy camper. Lewis was pissed at her, Mark was unhappy with her, and the bimbo was along for the ride. The only bright spot was that Sloan was hidden away with the medical team while Anja would be part of the actual infiltration. At least the sapiens would not be in the way.

She checked her weapons and ammo again then looked out past their driver at the road ahead. In a way she was glad her car had not been chosen for the trip though she would have been more comfortable with its speed and maneuverability. While this would be no trek through the war zone in Bosnia, nor was it going to be a walk in the park. Vehicles and personnel would likely take damage. Anja was glad _her_ vehicles were safe in the garage.

... ...

Walter Attwood checked the time and pulled out his cell phone. After punching in the number he waited until they had merged from Highway 152 onto Route 101 before pressing the send key.

"Hello, David. I'm in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by with a few friends," Walter said.

"Good to hear from you, old buddy. Perfect timing. Starting tomorrow I'd be far too busy for guests," the voice on the other end told him.

"Timing is everything. I'll see you in about a half hour." Walter shut down the phone and put it away. He looked up at Sloan. "Tom's still okay, but we've cut it a bit close. They were going to start invasive experimentation tomorrow."

"Oh God." Sloan shuddered and leaned back against Ed.

"Sloan, it's okay. We're going to get him out of there," Ed told her as he held her close. "Tom will be just fine."

Walter reached over to give her arm a comforting squeeze. "We're in time, Sloan. You'll have Tom safe and sound tonight."

She smiled. Her tears enhanced the green in her hazel eyes. "I know. I guess I just can't believe it yet."

"Believe it," Walter told her with a rueful grin. "This operation was planned by a master. Whatever else I may think about Lewis, he is a genius at this sort of thing."

"Just wish we could trust him," Sloan grumbled. "I'd feel a lot better if I thought he'd let us have Tom. I'm afraid that he'll get him and then take off with him."

Carla's voice startled them all. They'd forgotten she was tucked in a corner of the cargo van, meditating. "For this, you can trust Lewis. He has plans for Tom and he'll need me to help with some of them. Tom will go back to Fresno with us. I can guarantee that much."

"And after that?" Sloan asked.

"I think," Carla said cryptically, "that will be up to Keri."

... ...

David Bowman cursed as he saw the brake lights flash on the limo that had just passed him going in the other direction. It was Ashton. It had to be her. He floored the accelerator. The limousine had a lot more power than his Taurus, and he had to beat them there. Walter's rescue team had to be warned.

For that matter, so did Caryn. He grabbed his cell phone and used the speed dial. This wasn't the phone Ashton had provided him with; he had received it from Walter via FedEx a week ago. And Caryn was now using a phone one of her friends had rented for her. Hopefully that meant their conversation would be private.

"I think the boss is coming in to check on us," he said without identifying himself.

"The boss just left," she responded.

"Well, I guess the boss had a change of plans."

"Oh. What should I do?"

"Get ready to party in about a half hour, maybe less."

"We're having the party? Wonderful! Okay, I'll be ready."

David put the phone away and sighed. He should have taken that job at Washington State University last year, he thought.

... ...

Lewis watched the teams fan out around the building, so far so good. He glanced down at Keridwen. She had taken his order to remain close by his side very seriously, though he'd have felt better about that if he didn't suspect she wanted to be able to protect him should it be necessary. He was the one who should be doing the protecting…he gave himself a mental shake. Concentrate on the operation, he told himself harshly. Deal with your mate once all is secure. He moved to the targeted entrance. The infiltration specialists had dealt with the alarm and were now working through the various locking devices. It opened just as he arrived. Lewis allowed the team to enter first. Securing the route was their responsibility. As the only one of them who had inspected the site personally, Robert had taken point. Lewis pushed Keridwen back into an alcove that held a fire extinguisher as Robert stiffened. Someone was coming.

The guard's jaw dropped in shock as he rounded the corner and saw the intruders, but his weapon came up immediately, a credit to whoever had trained him. Had his foes been sapiens, he would have been able to fire and raise an alarm. As it was, the weapon was confiscated and his neck broken before he could squeeze the trigger and Robert was lowering the body carefully to the floor.

Lewis tried to block his mate's view of the body. A mistake, he learned as she pinched his arm. He looked down at her frowning face. Through the bond he felt her sorrow that the man had died, but no anger or remorse. She had accepted it as necessary. He nodded in approval and touched her cheek before moving on.

... ...

Keri winced as her soft-soled boot squeaked against the waxed tile floor. No one else was making a sound. What was worse was that the sound could have been avoided. She had forgotten to lift her feet completely and instead had half shuffled.

Lewis glanced back at her and she could feel that he was amused at her embarrassment. That was a relief. If he was amused then the sound wasn't loud enough to be a problem.

If she remembered the map correctly, the main guard station should be around the next corner. The layout had surprised Lewis and the chameleons until they had received the information on the outside of the building from Walter and Ray. Then it had been obvious that the security staff had little choice over the location.

Yes, Robert had stopped and Anja, along with several other members of the team were taking items from their backpacks. Keri knew that the devices they were preparing would have collapsible semi rigid tubes attached that would slide silently down the corridor and dispense a colorless, odorless gas.

At first Keri had been told it would only make them sleep. She'd glared at Robert for lying to her; then Lewis had sighed and admitted that it would make them sleep at first, but without oxygen being administered within a few minutes, it would kill them.

The others were putting on the state of the art gas filters they'd been issued. Keri pulled hers out and put it on before Lewis could check on her. When he did turn around she smiled at his approving nod. She would not make him regret bringing her.

They waited silently for what seemed like forever until they heard the bodies begin to drop. Then Anja eased up to the corner and used another tube, a miniature periscope, to look around it. She pulled back and nodded. Their advance was a go.

... ...

Caryn paced in the holding area. She was waiting for the combination to change. Tom was lying on the bunk, tossing and turning for the benefit of the camera. The tumblers clicked as they reset.

A few minutes later, Tom rolled from the bunk and staggered to the commode and did a convincing display of vomiting. He rinsed his mouth at the sink, acting as though he could barely stand then staggered back towards the bunk, falling halfway.

Caryn took her cue and ran to the main door and pounded on it. "Help!" she yelled. "Something's wrong with the subject, I need help in here!" She stepped back as the door opened and the guards rushed in, weapons ready.

They weren't fools. All of the guards had been briefed on what had really happened when Lewis had escaped. The weapons were trained on her as well as on Tom. But that wasn't a problem; they had no intention of attempting escape on their own…not when it was almost time for the party.

She made a show of checking Tom's pulse and respiration and looked up with a frown. "He seems to be all right. I don't know what happened. Maybe something was wrong with his dinner." Caryn bent over him. "Tom? Tom, can you hear me?"

"Whaaa… Doc?" He blinked a few times. "What happened?" he asked, making his voice sound groggy.

"You passed out. Can you sit up?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." Tom sat up, holding on to her, apparently for support. "Here, let me try to get off the floor, okay?"

"Okay, ready?" Caryn asked as the guards backed up and raised their weapons. "Here we go." They got to their feet and she 'helped' him back to the bunk.

"I'm fine, Doc, really. Just nauseous."

"Try and get to sleep then, if it gets worse, say something, okay? I'll be right out there."

"Okay."

She walked to the door ahead of the guards. They might not have released the information to the papers, but the guards were not going to make themselves vulnerable to anyone drugging them from behind. Caryn exited without incident and settled herself back in 'David's Chair', repeating the door's combination over and over in her mind.

... ...

Ray started as the Ford Taurus careened into the parking lot and headed directly for the van. He raised and leveled his weapon, pulling it up as he recognized David Bowman from the photo included in everyone's briefing materials. Beside him, Alexa lowered her own weapon and signaled the others to let the man advance unharmed. Ray opened the partition and called Walter.

... ...

Walter opened the back and helped David in. "David, what's wrong?"

"Ashton," he gasped. "She's on her way here; just saw her turn around on the highway…probably no more than a few minutes behind me." He took a deep breath and continued. "I warned Caryn, she's waiting for us…uh, you."

Walter grabbed the radio handset and clicked it to signal the infiltration team. The appropriate number of clicks came back to indicate it was safe to send a voice message. "Boss is back and bringing executive staff." He listened for the acknowledgment signal before he replaced the handset. "Ray, get everyone out of the lot, now. David, we'll leave your car there so she'll think you went in."

"Okay, I've got my stuff in the storage locker as you suggested. Some of Caryn's too."

"We've someone on the way to pick it up already," Walter smiled. "Have a seat." The van started to move to their beta position as they dropped onto the narrow bench seats that lined the one side.

... ...

His mate winced each time she heard a neck snap and sighed at Anja's gleeful expression, but otherwise made no comment or protest as his team disposed of the unconscious men who had manned the main guard station. They wouldn't wait for the gas to finish its work and chance someone recovering spontaneously. Keridwen swallowed, stepped over the bodies, and examined the blinking lights on the security console.

Lewis felt her call him through the bond and joined her at the desk. She pointed at one of the lights. "Incoming phone call," she whispered. "If it rings too long…"

He motioned to Stephen to join them and explained the problem in a few terse words. Stephen nodded and checked the ID of the man who had been sitting at the desk then answered the phone.

"Security one," he said in a normal tone then waited for a response. "Yes ma'am, this is Donnelley. Code red. Absolutely, I'm on it." He looked at them and shrugged.

"You've got to do it or she'll know," Keridwen whispered. "Code red sends a page to her cell phone."

"Unless the alarm system has been breached. Report that to her," Lewis suggested. His mate nodded in agreement.

"Ma'am we've got a situation. The alarm system is not responding."

"Tell her the diagnostics show there is nothing wrong with it," Keridwen murmured in his ear.

"Ma'am, I've run diagnostics, no system problems are showing. I'll dispatch a team to check on…No, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. We'll be ready for them." Stephen hung up and grinned. "She doesn't want them to go looking for the intruders. They're to wait and stand ready for attack and allow the intruders to be caught between them and her reinforcements," he told them.

"Hmm, sensible." Lewis stepped back as they moved to set Donnelley up in his chair. The dead man's head was pulled into place with monofilament attached to a rod pushed through his clothing and punched into the padded seat of the chair. His hands were arranged on the console, and the cap pulled forward to shadow his vacant stare.

Robert split his team up. Stephen and two of the other males took the clothing from the remaining dead guards and stood ready to secure their exit route. The bodies were stuffed under the desk as the rest moved on with Robert, Keridwen and himself. The infiltration leader picked up the pace; they needed to release Tom and retreat post haste.

... ...

Mark was sweating in the flack jacket the chameleons had insisted he wear. The early September weather was muggy, even for this part of the country. His team had settled in on the roof after checking it carefully to ensure they had all of the access points sealed off or covered. The snipers were in place with instructions not to fire on enemy personnel until ordered to do so.

Depending on the progress of the inside teams, they might allow them to enter; then pick them off when they retreated from the building to escape gunfire from within. The object was to concentrate any weapon sounds inside the building so as not to alert civilian authorities. The last thing they needed was to have local SWAT teams and the CHP called in.

Squinting, he thought he could just make out their 'distraction' gathered several blocks down on their planned escape route. James had them spread out on several streets and ready to move out in case they were forced to deviate from the initial plan.

The vehicles they had brought were all parked in the beta format. Even a trained observer that had not seen them arrive would not be able to differentiate between them and legitimately parked cars without going around and checking all vehicles in the area for warm engines.

Mark sighed. He was trained to be patient, but the urgency that had gripped him since the report of Danielle Ashton's approach was making him itch from the excess adrenaline in his system. He froze. A large vehicle had just sped off of the highway and was heading their way. Mark grabbed the handset and sent the silent signal.

... ...

Robert and Lewis both stiffened and reached for their belts at the same instant. Keri knew it must be the signal that her cousin or her reinforcements had arrived. Lewis reached back for her hand and reminded her to stay close. As if she needed the reminder. She knew that Dani wouldn't hesitate to kill her, let alone have her killed, and Keri very much did not want to die. She and Lewis had too damn much to live for.

There was a scuffle around the corner, the slam of a body against the wall, and then the first gunshot was fired. She waited with Lewis, shaking, until Robert's voice reached them.

"Clear," he said. "Anja, how bad is it?"

"I'm fine," she told him. "Just a stupid crease."

They turned the corner and saw Anja stuffing a field bandage in her pants over her hip. A guard lay before her, his face crushed and bloody from a blow to the nasal area.

"Didn't see his hold out…stupid," Anja was muttering.

"How far will that have been heard?" Lewis asked Robert.

"Too far. The cell block monitor station is just around the corner. They're probably calling the main station for instructions now."

"Then let's move. Frontal assault. Go! Anja, catch up when you can."

They began to trot down the hall, hugging the walls. Keri flattened herself against the wall and Lewis blocked her body with his own as gunfire ricocheted past them. He didn't have to ask her if she was okay. She knew he would feel it if she were hit…as she would feel any injury he received.

Robert was holding a guard by the throat as they arrived. The two monitor room guards were dead. "Last chance," he said. "Open it."

"No way. You're going to kill me anyway."

The infiltration specialists looked up from the lock and shook their heads. They were not going to be able to open it quickly.

Keri swallowed, coming to a hard decision. "Open it, and they'll let you live."

The guard looked up and then gawked at her. "Miss Ashton?"

She knew the man, but not well. This was still going to be hard. "Yes. Now open the door. I won't let them hurt you," she promised him, gesturing to the group that menaced him.

"Yes ma'am. If you say so." He moved slowly to the door and began punching in codes.

Anja limped around the corner and settled herself against the wall to watch. She was still bleeding, Keri noted as Lewis grabbed her arm. "You had no right to make that promise," he hissed.

Keri looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I didn't say _I_ wouldn't hurt him," she whispered. He stepped back, his expression shocked; then reached out to gently wipe away her tears as the door to the observation area opened. She shuddered and raised her SW99.

Anja pushed off from the wall and covered Keri's hand with her own. "No," she said. "You didn't say anything about me not hurting him, either."

The others moved into the observation area, and a tallish woman with straight auburn hair greeted them and moved to open the cell door. While she was distracted, Anja moved. Keri covered her mouth with her hand as she heard the distinctive snap. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

... ...

Five cars had pulled into the lot and disgorged ten armed agents and one well-dressed woman. She took three of the men and headed to a second entrance. The others staked out the one the infiltration team had used.

Mark signaled the other teams. All responded to approve voice contact. He filled them in on the situation and then assigned targets to his snipers. They would wait until the men started to move, then take them out. The longer they were alive to respond to any phone or radio queries from their boss, the better.

He paced a sheltered area of the roof. Mark was really beginning to hate waiting.

... ...

Caryn nearly screamed when several armed men and women moved into the observation area.

"Robert!" Tom said as he rolled off of the bunk.

"You know him?" Caryn asked, thinking to herself that the question was a bit stupid, but not knowing what else to say.

"One of Lewis' chameleons," Tom told her.

"One of the coexistence faction's chameleons," Robert corrected. "Miss, do you know the code for this door?"

"Uh, yes. I'll get it."

"It's doctor," Tom said.

Robert shrugged. "Whatever."

"She comes with us, alive."

"Of course," Robert smiled. Tom stepped back, his expression suspicious. "Tom, relax. We're advocating coexistence. We aren't going to kill anyone that is helping us achieve that goal."

Caryn gave Tom what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "It's going to be all right," she said. "We're going to get out of here."

Tom nodded and moved to the door, then suddenly froze in place. "Lewis," he said. "I should have known."

... ...

Danielle Ashton led the way down a seldom-used corridor that led to a point to the right of the main guard station. She called the station, sighing with relief when Donnelley promptly answered. "Any sign of them?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am. They tried to put some kind of tubes down the hall. We're assuming they were trying to gas us."

"And?"

"We stuffed the tubes with cloth. A while later we heard some coughing and the sound of a few bodies hitting the floor. The tubes were pulled back, though, so it didn't get all of them. Hasn't been any sound since though. We're not sure what they're doing or even if they're still there."

"When did this happen?"

"Less than five minutes ago."

"Okay, if they try to get out, my men will take them down…if they miss any, they may come back your way. Prepare to intercept them."

"Yes ma'am. We're ready."

"I'll be there in a minute; we're coming through my private entrance."

"Got it. We'll wait for an attack or further instructions."

Danielle hit the end button and speed dialed Foster. "They tried to gas the guards, but since they were alerted it backfired. Some of their own fell, but not all. They're probably headed your way, possibly carrying bodies." She listened for Foster's acknowledgment and then hit the end key again and stuffed the phone in her jacket pocket.

She hung back at the exit to the main guard station just in case the dominants launched an attack as she arrived. Still, she was shocked when rounds were fired the moment the door opened. She was even more shocked when all three of her men went down, the last one barely managing to pull the door closed.

"Guards, not ours," he gasped, then choked on his own blood.

"Shit," she muttered and then ran back to the bend in the corridor. Once there she stopped and pulled a remote out from her purse. Danielle keyed in a code and waited until a panel slid back in the wall. It closed as soon as she stepped through into her office.


	11. Chapter 11

"Hello Tom," Lewis said. "Why don't you join us?" He could understand his protégé's hesitation. Tom did not trust him…at the moment. That would change, Lewis was certain of it.

Tom stared at him for several long minutes before apparently coming to a decision. He nodded and walked out to the observation area. "It's good to see you looking well," he said, his tone cautious.

"Thank you, Tom. I'm…relieved that you seem relatively unharmed."

The younger man glanced at the sapiens woman who stood silently nearby. "I was very fortunate to find friends here. You aren't to harm them."

Lewis smiled. How like Tom to give orders when he was in no position to do so. He had retained the confidence and arrogance that had made him so successful. That was a good sign. "Dr. Bowman and his associate are our friends, Tom. I'm hurt that you'd think I would do them harm."

"You would kill your own offspring if you thought it would give you an advantage."

A red haze settled over Lewis' vision. "You have no idea what you are talking about," he snarled.

"Lewis, he doesn't know. Calm down."

He heard his mate's voice as if from a distance. Concentrating on her, he forced the rage down. Her hands grasped his waist, reaching out he pulled her close. "Keridwen," he whispered, touching his forehead to hers. "What is happening to me?"

Her soft hand stroked his cheek. "You're still having problems accepting that you couldn't help Marjorie. I'm here. Try to let it go."

Tom was staring at them; Lewis could feel his shock. He pulled the shattered pieces of his control back together and straightened. "We have a lot to catch up on, Tom." He looked around at the others. Their alarm was quite…evident. His resolve hardened. "Let's get out of here."

... ...

The radio clicked. Mark signaled back to approve a voice message. "We've got trouble," James said. "More staff headed your way. Counted at least three cars, personnel numbers unknown."

Mark acknowledged the report and passed it on to the others. Shit. Things were not going well. How had the woman known? Was she more gifted than Keri suspected?

The new arrivals parked their cars to form a gauntlet, relieving the original seven men. Their cars were moved to more strategic positions as well. Mark wished that Alexa were up here. His own skills were not proving up to the task.

The sapiens now had a total of fifteen men outside. Eight moved to take cover across the lot, and seven gathered at the entrance. They were going in…Mark signaled Lewis and Robert.

... ...

Danielle cursed vividly as she checked the monitors that were normally hidden behind a wood panel. Tom was out of the cell and surrounded by dominants…including Lewis. Her eyes narrowed. Perhaps she'd be better off after this night was through. A few guards, more or less, would be a small price to pay to have Lewis back in her possession.

She checked the other guard stations. Only one, a rear station that was little known, was not compromised. They answered her call immediately. The four men moved to follow her orders, first sealing the exit and breaking out assault weapons, then heading down the emergency corridor to the main guard station.

Lewis did not understand whom he was dealing with. Danielle relaxed in her chair and watched the monitors.

... ...

Stephen was pissed. The woman had disappeared in the narrow corridor and they could not find the concealed door she had used. He paced the area between the guard station and the hall leading to the exit. The sapiens they had been told of had not yet entered.

One of his men motioned to him. As he joined him, he heard the faint sounds behind the featureless wall. This was another hidden passage! Stephen ordered his men into position. The approaching enemy would have no chance.

They waited patiently as the sounds grew closer; then inexplicably stopped. Stephen frowned, suspicious of the delay. His radio clicked and he took the report, hastily splitting his small team. There were more sapiens on the way down their escape route, but they couldn't afford to ignore the menace behind the wall.

He reported his position to Robert who assured him they would arrive shortly to back them up. Signing off, Stephen wondered if they'd be in time. His team of four could handle the seven…but could they also handle the unknowns?

Several sapiens burst around the corner firing wildly. They died, but more followed. The wall opened behind him and Stephen spun. He took down one before they began firing.

... ...

"Lewis, we've got trouble," Robert said. "Stephen reported an assault in progress by the seven externals and an unknown number of internals." Robert frowned with concern as Lewis looked at his mate before responding.

"Let's move then. Get Tom a weapon. You do still know how to use them, don't you, Tom?"

Tom grabbed the M-16 that was thrust at him without answering, obviously concerned over Lewis' behavior as well.

They moved down the hall silently and swiftly, stopping when the reached the lab juncture which was just before the main guard station.

"Wait," Keri said. "Danielle's office, where is it, Caryn?"

"Down there," the woman said, pointing to the left corridor.

"She's in there, Robert," Keri told him. "Do you really want to leave her behind us?"

"We have no choice. I've got people dying up there."

"Keridwen, you and…" Lewis paused, gesturing at Dr. Townsend.

"Caryn," she supplied.

Lewis nodded. "…Remain back here. Anja will stay and guard you from Danielle."

"Oh, but I want to…" Anja began.

"Silence. You are injured and I need someone to protect my ma…the noncombatants." Anja subsided.

"Be careful," Keri told Lewis.

The three females moved to a sheltered position behind a group of cabinets. Robert gathered his team and moved on to the battle.

... ...

Danielle smiled and relaxed in her chair as the dominants at the main guard station began to fall. They were not nearly as superior as they seemed.

She sat up abruptly as bullets began flying from a different direction and several of her own men died. "Damn it. Behind you, you fools!" Lewis and his group had arrived. Frowning, she realized that some of them were missing. Caryn Townsend and two of the three women that had been with Lewis were nowhere to be seen. That meant… "Oh no you won't." Danielle picked up her Glock and headed back into the VIP corridor. They were not going to corner her in her office.

... ...

Lewis ducked back as a fresh hail of gunfire erupted from the embattled federal agents. Robert was not quite fast enough and took at least one round in his side. He flashed an 'OK' signal and worked to staunch the blood flow.

Firing wildly around the corner to buy a few precious seconds of observation time, Lewis counted the enemy in his head. When they arrived there had been eight of them still standing. He had taken down one, as had Robert. That left six. The other members of their team had injured three of them. And Tom had killed one. That left five on their feet, only two uninjured.

He leaned around, noted positions, and ducked back again to avoid the expected return fire. There were two he could target. Sliding down the wall to reach the optimum angle, Lewis dropped to the floor and fired rapidly. His targets fell as he rolled back around the corner.

Tom grinned at him from across the corridor and under cover of the distraction provided by Lewis, did his own observing. However, where Lewis had dropped to get a good angle, Tom was forced to climb up and over the guard station. Lewis chuckled silently. Such acrobatics were best left to the young. Another federal agent fell before Tom dropped back to the floor.

The enemy had ceased firing, and they could hear footsteps retreating down the corridor. Two of Robert's team moved forward to ascertain that the area was clear and confirm the kills. At their clear signal Lewis stood and motioned for Keridwen, Anja, and the sapiens doctor to join them. Anja and the doctor passed him, but his mate was dawdling.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"Collecting evidence." She was carrying a plastic bag full of papers and computer disks. He shook his head and turned to check on Robert.

... ...

Her men were dead. Impossible. Danielle peered through the doorway in shock as Lewis moved between her and the blood-drenched scene. He was responsible, she thought. He'd taken Keri from them, killed her, just as their grandfather had predicted all those years ago. And now he was vulnerable.

Danielle stepped out of the doorway and prepared to put a nine-millimeter round in the back of the bastard's head.

"Dani! Put the gun down, now!" a voice ordered.

She blinked. Lewis spun and she steadied her weapon. He froze and watched her…carefully. Glancing around the corner she saw the other woman. No. It couldn't be. "Keri?"

"Yes, Dani. Put it down, now."

Danielle laughed. "You're dead. I felt you die…when your crystal broke. You're not really here."

"I'm not dead, Dani." The voice that couldn't be Keri's paused. "Was this about a week ago?" it asked.

"Yes. The amethyst spear snapped. I may not have much of a gift, but I felt your energy come out of it. You died."

Keri chuckled. Yes, somehow it _was_ Keri…or her ghost. "Yes, I did, for a few minutes. Then someone started CPR and used a defibrillator and brought me back. Come on, Dani, I'm not kidding. Drop the weapon."

She focused on her target instead, daring him to move. "You won't shoot me, Keri. You couldn't hurt a fly, let alone your own cousin."

"You know Dani, a few weeks ago I would have agreed with you. But Lewis told me that when the time came I'd be able to do whatever I had to do. And you know what? He was right. Put it down now, or so help me god, I _will_ shoot you."

Danielle laughed and started to squeeze the trigger. Instead she screamed as she was hit by a bullet fired by a ghost.

Lewis moved as the shot echoed down the corridor. Keridwen had fired, adjusted her aim after the recoil, and was prepared to fire again if necessary. She was a mate to be proud of. A sound caught his attention and he looked back towards his enemy.

"Shit!" Keridwen shouted.

Danielle Ashton was gone.

Robert groaned as he levered himself up off of the floor. His people had separated their casualties. Four dead and three injured but mobile, including himself. He stared for a moment at the bodies.

"We take them," Lewis said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "We leave no one behind for them, alive or dead."

"Agreed. But…"

"The wounded will have to be our main fighting force. The rest of us will each carry one of the fallen." He turned to the sapiens woman. "Doctor, can you fire a gun?"

"Yes. I don't have one though."

Lewis smirked. "I do not believe that will be a problem." Anja limped up carrying an array of hand weapons she had gathered from the deceased. "Please, take your choice," Lewis told Caryn.

The woman selected a Walther PPK and then helped herself to several clips for it. Anja emptied clips out of the other weapons and stored them and the weapons separately in her backpack. Tom had gathered the assault weapons and passed them out to those who were proficient in their use.

Robert waited until the uninjured, all men, each shouldered one of their dead before ordering them to move out.

Mark watched curiously as the limousine began to move. It circled the building and he signaled his observer on the other side as he trotted across the length of the medical supply warehouse.

The armored vehicle pulled up along the side of the building. Mark called for a sniper to target the door area. She got off one good shot before the limo door closed behind its passenger.

"Clipped a wing, sir. That's about it," the sniper reported.

"Nice shot," he told her as the limo sped away. "That was a difficult angle." He radioed his report to the other teams and returned to the primary targeting position.

Keri waited nervously in the corridor, leaning against the wall. Anja sat on the floor beside her, fussing with the new field bandage that Caryn had helped her apply. She looked paler than usual.

They were waiting for a signal to break for the cars. Mark's team would take out as many of the enemy as they could target, then lay down covering fire while the infiltration group made a run for it. Then the snipers would go over the back of the building where their escape vehicles would be waiting.

Lewis was holding together now, and would probably continue to manage just fine so long as no one triggered his paranoia over Marjorie and the children again. Tom and Robert kept darting worried looks at him, but they still continued to follow his orders.

Their escape from the building was going to be complicated by the need for the wounded to head for the medical van. Lewis had told her and Caryn to go with them; he was certain that Robert would need help. The chameleon was not complaining, but it was obvious that he had lost a lot of blood and was in a great deal of pain.

High pitched cracking sounds echoed across the parking lot. The snipers had opened fire. Lewis hoisted Stephen's body over his shoulder and reached out his free hand to her. "Stay low, my own," he said with a troubled expression. "I could not…"

"I'll be fine," she interrupted. Keri wasn't about to let him start worrying about protecting her. That way laid madness…literally. "You just make sure _you_ get to safety, you're the one that's going to be slowed down." She conveniently ignored the fact that even carrying a good two hundred pounds Lewis was still probably faster and more agile than she was with no burden.

He cupped her cheek with his hand and nodded, then smiled as she turned her face to kiss it. "I'll see you at home, cherished."

"At home," she echoed. Then it was her turn to run.

Anja scrambled across the asphalt, staying close on the heels of the two redheads who were supporting Robert. The chameleon didn't look too good. She turned and fired at one of the enemy who had been foolish enough to move to the side of his vehicle. His face disappeared in a blossom of red. Laughing, she resumed her retreat.

The medical van was now less then fifty meters away. "Yards," she muttered. "In US they use yards." Robert and his escorts were half that distance ahead of her. The other injured female had already reached its promised safety.

Anja continued to run. The wound in her hip had opened again; she could feel the blood flowing down her leg. It didn't matter. She could dismiss the pain, and she hadn't lost enough blood to be in any danger of collapse…not yet.

Ahead, Keri and the sapiens doctor were lifting Robert up into the van; he had passed out a few steps away. Anja squinted. Was her injury affecting her vision? She was seeing three redheads…ach no. The bimbo had gotten out to help with Robert.

The sound of a foot crunching loose stones alerted her a half-second before an enemy agent moved in for a hand to hand attack. She noted a discarded assault weapon off to the side. It must have jammed. Pivoting on her good leg, she met his well-placed attacks with the proper defenses.

Pain exploded in her hip, his kick to her left side had slipped through. Anja screamed in fury and drove her fist into his chest with all her adrenaline and agony fueled strength. The man gasped, coughed blood and collapsed. His body cushioned her fall.

She was still nearly fifteen meters…yards from the van. Her left side would not take her weight at all. Even crawling on hands and knees was impossible. Anja rolled to her right side and began to drag herself along the ground, cursing the dead man. She advanced one yard, then two, then five, and then a few more.

"We need some help!" a voice called from the parking lot. Sloan saw Walter look back from his position at the door. He and Ray were providing covering fire for the approaching wounded.

She looked around the van. Alexa was in the front of the van on the radio. David and Ed were prepping surgical tools and Carla was bandaging wounds on a woman Sloan had not met.

"Sloan," Walter said. "Get that Kevlar jacket and the riot helmet on and get out here." She shrugged into the awkward garment and moved to the door. Two women, Keri and another she did not know, were dragging Robert across the street to them. "They aren't targeting over here right now, but be careful and be prepared to drop flat if I tell you to," Walter continued. Sloan swallowed, nodded, and climbed down out of the van.

She helped lift Robert into the van, and gave the stranger a boost up. Keri had turned and was helping Walter and Ray when they heard a chilling scream that echoed against the buildings. They all looked around for the source.

Sloan saw her first. It was Anja. She had been attacked, evidently. A man's body lay on the ground behind her and she was dragging herself across the asphalt. Incredibly, she almost reached the street before collapsing completely.

Keri was putting up her weapon. "Cover me, Walter, I'm going after her."

"No!" Sloan said. "I'm already dressed for it, I'll do it. Besides, I can't shoot anything and you can."

"Go for it, honey."

Sloan was halfway across the street when she heard Walter shout, "Sloan, drop!" She threw herself flat immediately and heard a whining sound pass over her head. Keeping her head down, she waited as gunfire was exchanged and didn't move until Walter told her to go.

Anja was a mess. Her left side was bloody from her waist to her foot, and her right was covered in scrapes and scratches from the harsh surface of the parking lot. Sloan pulled her onto her back, wrapped her arms under Anja's, and dragged her backwards across the street. Her helmet fell off a few feet from the door, and bounced off of Anja's right foot.

The younger woman's eyes fluttered open. "Wha…happened," she muttered.

"It's okay, you passed out. We're going to get you into the van now."

Anja's head tilted back and she looked blearily up at Sloan. Her eyes slowly focused. "Oh no…not the bim…aww, scheisse," she said distinctly.


	12. Chapter 12

Mark searched for the source of the scream, and then shuddered. Anja was down; an unreasoning fear gripped him. He ruthlessly pushed it aside. The few remaining enemies were taking to their cars and moving out of his snipers' range. He ordered the retreat then returned to watch out for Anja.

He shook his head as he saw firsthand the courage and determination that had helped the young female survive Bosnia. Badly injured and bleeding, she would not give up and was dragging herself across the parking lot. Everyone was down and waiting for him. He knew he should leave, but…Anja had stopped moving! A movement from one of the cars caught his attention. He turned and fired. The man fell back into his vehicle after getting off only a few rounds. Fortunately none had reached Anja.

One of the sapiens women was running from the medical van. He couldn't determine whom at this distance; she was wearing an oversized Kevlar jacket and a riot helmet. The woman dropped at the sound of more gunfire, which was shut down by the return fire from the van. Then she resumed her run and began dragging Anja to safety. He waited until Anja was lifted into the van and it began to pull away. Then he ran for the rope that would take him to his own escape vehicle and eventual safety.

... ...

"Tom, do you know the way to Fresno from here?" Lewis asked in a strained voice as they arrived at a Mercedes sedan and began loading their burdens in the trunk.

"That depends on where _here_ is," he replied.

"Salinas." Tom gave Lewis a blank look. "About twenty miles north then east of Monterey."

"No. Don't know that area."

"I'll have to drive then," Lewis said as he closed the trunk and headed for the driver's seat.

Tom frowned as he got in on the passenger side. Lewis _liked_ to drive. He had always _insisted_ on driving during their joint missions before. There was something very strange going on. Lewis' loss of control earlier was…frightening. And then there was that woman… "Who is she?" Tom asked as they pulled away.

Lewis frowned. "Who?"

"The sapiens woman…the redhead you were so protective of, the one you embraced."

"Ah. Keridwen Elizabeth Ashton."

"Ashton? As in…" Tom almost laughed at the deep, pained sigh that came from his left.

"Yes. Her cousin." A long pause followed that revelation as Lewis watched for the medical van to pass them, then moved in behind it. "And my bonded mate."

Tom blinked several times as the information registered. "I…see." The fact that Lewis had claimed a bond mate was startling. He had always been so solitary; his sexual assignations had been limited to required pairings and seduction of sapiens for control or gathering of information. That he had bonded with a sapiens seemed impossible; Lewis' utter contempt for their parent species was legendary. Keridwen Ashton must be an exceptional woman. "Congratulations." Tom waited for another pained sigh. Lewis surprised him.

"Thank you. I consider myself most fortunate to have her."

So this is what it's like to be struck speechless, Tom thought. He sat in stunned silence with his mouth hanging open for a few moments before the irony of the situation hit him. "You do realize that the only way this could be more ironic is if she were a relative of Sloan's?"

"The thought had crossed my mind."

This was too much even to contemplate. Maybe it would make more sense later. "Ah, speaking of Sloan, has there been any further word on her?" he asked hopefully.

"Such as?"

"David and Caryn last heard that she had managed to rescue Ed from a guarded ward at the hospital. Ashton was furious about it. Has Sloan contacted the coexistence faction?"

As Lewis remained silent, Tom could feel his agitation grow. Was it bad news? She couldn't be…dead. No, he was certain that he would know if she were, at least he hoped that he would. Besides, Lewis would have enjoyed telling him of it. At least, the old Lewis would have. This one…? Hmm, unknown. "Lewis?"

Lewis shot him an annoyed look. "She's in the van ahead of us with the rest of your _friends_."

"Attwood and Peterson too?"

"Yes, and Tate as well," Lewis confirmed, sounding rather disgusted at the whole idea. Tom shivered in alarm. All of the people he cared about were in that van…he looked carefully at Lewis, wondering if he dared try to read him to see what his intentions were. Their following the van had just taken on a rather sinister connotation. "You may consider yourself quite…fortunate that my mate is also in that van."

The corner of Tom's mouth lifted. Lewis' voice was as sour as his expression. "Good."

... ...

James felt ridiculous using the small lighter as a signaling device. But it worked, and the bikers were comfortable with it. He counted the vehicles as they passed his position – the closest to the facility. The last car in their fleet…occupied by Mark and two of his snipers…moved by. James signaled and Bear's men began moving out into the roadway. There did not seem to be much in the way of pursuit, but even one sapiens on their tail would be too many.

The bulk of the bikers were on the one-way street, all of them moving against traffic, when James spotted the first of the Federal vehicles. Their distraction consisted of the bikers pretending to be…or in a few cases actually being…drunk and disorderly, riding against traffic, and generally making a rowdy mess.

Legitimate traffic swerved and stopped, most of the drivers too nervous to do anything but keep their windows rolled up and wait the bikers out. Several of the Federal agents tried to back up and go down side streets, only to find traffic behind them too close to allow it.

James smiled as he wove through the cars. He refrained from pounding on hoods and roofs as the others were, but he did take a moment to flirt with a car full of scantily clad young women. He was starting to appreciate the reaction sapiens females had to him. The young women promptly exited the car and added to the traffic snarl. He laughed as one of them began running her hands over him, asked him to take her for a ride, and tried to climb on the bike.

One of the pursuing agents had also exited his vehicle; he was shouting at the bikers and waving his badge. They, for the most part, ignored him, though a few flipped him off. Their orders were to avoid outright confrontations.

He had just persuaded the female to not join him on the Deuce when his worst case scenario happened. A gunshot rang out. James pushed the girl away, ordering her back to her car. He moved in the direction of the shot and found his way blocked by abandoned bikes. The bikers had converged on the car that agent had exited and a few seconds later one of them slammed his body down onto its windshield.

The two other pursuing vehicles disgorged four more agents who started to move in. They paused and stared for a moment at the mass of twenty-some angry bikers and changed their minds. James hung back, waiting for tempers to cool. Bear emerged from the midst of the pack carrying something…someone. He stopped in front of James. "Damn fool punched the spook," he muttered. "What the fuck am ah gonna tell Bets?"

James reached out and checked Kurt's pulse. It was weakening rapidly. "Get him on your bike and catch up with that step van. I'll call them and tell them you're coming. Move it. Maybe he's got a chance…a small one." Bear nodded and handed the injured man to James as he started his Harley, then took him back across the fuel tank before roaring off. James was startled to see tears in the big man's eyes.

... ...

Keri found herself drafted to make sure Anja didn't roll down the length of the van and do herself more damage. She was sitting on the floor, her back against the passenger-side bench and had Anja sitting in front of her, leaning back against her shoulder. After coming to briefly when Sloan had reached the van, the young woman had lapsed back into unconsciousness. She moaned in pain occasionally, but quieted when Keri would stroke her hair and whisper soothingly to her.

The other injured woman, their electronic lock expert, Bonnie, was on the bench above them, her arm bandaged and in a splint. A bullet had caught her near the shoulder. Keri shivered at the casualty count. Four were dead and three injured…so far. And that was just on their side. Sloan and Caryn were acting as nurses and doing their best to help the three MD's who were now battling to save Robert.

"Damn it!" Ed swore, "I can't get that one, it keeps slipping behind the rib."

"Let me try," Carla told him. "My hands are smaller."

"Ed, help me on this section of bowel, it looks pretty bad," David Bowman ordered. Keri shivered. They weren't only operating with minimal equipment in cramped quarters, those quarters were moving…rapidly. And from what she had heard, the condition of the patient was critical and not likely to improve.

Robert had taken more than the one round Lewis had thought. Keri had already counted the removal of three bullets and now Carla was trying to get a fourth. If he weren't a dominant, he'd have probably died on the spot. She tried not to worry about Lewis. She knew he wasn't injured, but… "Lewis is right behind us," Alexa told her from where she stood holding onto a handle and watching out the back window for signs of pursuit. She'd traded posts with Walter in case she was needed to help with the injured dominants.

Keri chuckled. "Am I that transparent?"

"Yes." Alexa squatted down beside her. "No, I'm teasing you," she said as Keri sighed. "With such serious injuries about and having seen so much death so quickly it would be strange if you _weren't_ worrying about your bond mate."

"I think maybe I'm more concerned about his worry over me."

Alexa smirked and patted her shoulder. "Why do you think he _is_ right behind us?"

Keri nodded then stiffened. "Oh no."

"Robert!" Carla shouted. "Damn it, Robert, don't you dare…DAMN IT!" She turned away and threw down the surgical instruments she had been using – a few seconds before the heart monitor registered a flat line.

"Flat line, defib," David said.

"No." Carla caught David's shoulder as he turned towards the crash cart. "He's gone."

"Maybe we can get him back," David urged.

"You don't understand…" Carla exhaled sharply and turned away.

"David?" Keri said sadly. "Robert decided to give up. You won't be able to convert the flat line. He chose to die now rather than let you waste energy and resources to continue to fight a losing battle."

"How can you know that?"

"I just do. It's a…gift." She sighed. "Feels more like a curse."

... ...

Lewis glanced into the rearview mirror and frowned. Someone on a motorcycle was overtaking them. It was Bear and he had what looked like a body slung across the bike's fuel tank. "Damn," he muttered.

"What's wrong," Tom asked, twisting to look behind them.

"Another casualty. One of the rear guard." He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and used the speed dial.

"Attwood here."

"You have another patient on the way."

"Yes, we've been advised to expect one."

"He's on your six, pull over."

"Thank you. Will do."

Lewis pulled over behind the van. "Get ready to cover them as they make the transfer," he told Tom.

Tom nodded and lowered his window, then slid out to sit on the edge. "We used a sapiens biker gang as a rear guard?" he asked.

"Ashton had the leader of the coexistence faction and a number of their soldiers ambushed the night before you were taken. Most of the surviving local members went underground and Danielle is fond of heavy security. We needed the help."

"I think I was more interested in the how rather than the why."

"Ah, of course." Lewis knelt on the driver's seat and leaned through his lowered window. "Do you remember I insisted on your doing a stint in the military before going to Quantico?" Tom muttered something under his breath. Lewis smirked. "It was not a waste of time, Tom. If nothing else it gave you experience in working in tandem with sapiens in a combat situation. In my case, my military experience provided the means for having sufficient personnel to retrieve you."

"How so?"

"These particular bikers are mostly vets. Their leader remembers me and is convinced that I saved his life after both our units were victims of a CIA snafu. He was pleased to help me take revenge on the _spooks_."

"Somehow I don't think I'm going to have any such incredible coincidences related to my service. I've never had your luck." Tom paused, then leaned down and stared through the rear passenger-side window. "As a matter of fact, I've never met _anyone_ who has your luck."

Lewis grimaced. "Perhaps my _luck_ is fate's way of balancing the scales."

... ...

Keri looked up as the new casualty was handed into the van. She couldn't make out who it was; the medical crew surrounded him immediately. Bear was leaning tiredly against the door. "Who is it?" she asked.

"It's Kurt. Damned fool punched out a spook. Autumn, honey, ah don' think he's gonna make it."

She concentrated and then sighed. "I don't think so either. I'm so sorry."

"T'ain't your fault, nor hisself's," he said, gesturing to the Mercedes that Lewis was leaning out of. "Told 'em all not ta touch any o' the damn spooks. Boy didn' lissen."

"Yeah, I hear you. People just don't listen anymore, do they?"

"Nope. Who's this lil' girl?" Bear asked.

"Anja, she's one of them. Very brave and maybe a bit too wild for her own good."

"Pretty little thing. She gonna be okay?"

"She'll live. We're not sure if there's permanent damage to her hip yet. I guess she's lucky compared to some. We've lost five so far, not counting Kurt."

"Dayum." Bear stepped back as the motor started. "Shi-it, ah'd better get movin. See ya in Fresno!" He helped Alexa shut the doors as they started to pull away.

Keri sighed. Robert had been too badly injured for her abilities to do anything for him and so was Kurt. She could only help with things that required mostly time and rest to heal…fevers, broken bones, inflamed tissue and muscles, scars, and sometimes abnormal cells. Basically her gift bypassed a lot of the time normally needed for the body to repair itself. But acute injuries, open wounds, that was something she had little or no effect on at all. And she had learned not to even try after attempting to save an accident victim. She had almost died with him.

The now familiar sounds of medical equipment and voices using surgical terminology echoed in the back of the van. Any minute now the heart monitor would signal a flat line. Keri let her head drop back on the bench and began to cry.

... ...

Anja hurt like hell, but somehow she felt safe and almost comfortable. She let her eyes drift open, and her breath caught as she saw a lock of red hair directly in front of them. No, she thought. It couldn't be…ah, no. The bim…_Dr. Parker_, she firmly corrected herself, was sitting on the bench a few feet away. Grinning, Anja snuggled in against Lewis' mate. This one was okay for a sapiens. There was no fear in her. And she didn't treat them like they were different. Anja didn't feel like a monster or lab experiment around her.

She was also soft…and caring. Anja decided that nesting was the thing she had missed most since her sibs had been killed. Being held by Keri had that same feel to it. Like being safe in the arms of her birth-sibs, the only people who had ever really cared about her. Their mother had died in childbirth when they were ten, and since the Eastern European council had needed couriers so desperately, all four of them had entered the courier training program.

They had worked faithfully for years, but one day the council had ordered them to deliver a viral agent that hadn't been fully tested. The lab techs had told her eldest brother that they feared it could kill their people as well. Mattias asked the tech how to neutralize it, and then did so. The council had ordered him terminated for what they called a betrayal and Eduard and Henrik had died defending their brother. Anja had been away doing her reproductive duty at the time. She would never forgive their government for betraying them.

She shifted and then moaned at the pain that shot through her hip. Keri's hand moved to stroke her hair and she was hugged very gently. Yes, this was very much like nesting with her sibs.

... ...

Jeffrey strode across the complex. The teams would be arriving shortly. He gave orders to prepare for moving one of the injured, and for removal of the remains of their dead. A meal was being prepared for those with the strength to eat it, and a common area in the barracks building was being set up with pillows, blankets and soft music for those that were still too on edge to sleep.

The flurry of activity had awoken their guests. He had put off their questions, telling them only that casualties had been sustained. Surprisingly he'd found himself unable to outright lie to them…or to tell them the harsh truth. Jeffrey wasn't sure which of the females belonged to the dead man, but he didn't want to find out by callously announcing his identity.

While the mission had been a success, they had paid a high price for it. Jeffrey hoped that his cousin Tom would prove to be worth it. Of course Lewis had survived unscathed. Jeffrey dismissed his bitterness at that thought. He was Keri Ashton's mate, and had they lost him they would have lost her as well. He wasn't sure why that mattered to him…certainly he had been a little obsessed with her because of her rejection of him, but that wasn't it. She'd managed to charm most of the people here in one way or another, in spite of Lewis' behavior.

The chameleon Robert was their greatest loss, though as the commander of their soldiers, Stephen would be greatly missed as well. The other three soldiers were not particularly noteworthy except for their dedication to the ideal of coexistence with their sapiens cousins.

He turned his attention to a flurry of activity at the gate. The teams had arrived.


	13. Chapter 13

Lewis hit the trunk release, then climbed out of the car and gestured curtly to the removal team. He stood by to watch as Stephen and the other soldiers were carried off. Then he walked over to the medical van.

He made it a practice of seeing all of their dead from his operations. It was his way of keeping in touch with the reality of the costs of a mission. Regardless of whether it succeeded or failed, each had a price. Lewis lowered his head as two more casualties were handed out to the removal team. The price of this one had been high.

Tom moved up behind him. He too lowered his head in respect for their dead. "I wasn't worth this. No one is worth this," he said.

"Everyone knew the risks. We took only volunteers…and we turned some away. The coexistence faction believes you are worth this." Lewis turned to face his cousin. "You are Chosen. That is a great responsibility. Accepting that others will die for you is part of that responsibility. You must make their sacrifice worthwhile."

Tom sighed. "Now I just have to figure out how." He could tell him how, Lewis thought. At least what _he_ felt would make it worthwhile. But not now. Best to wait until the programming had been removed and Tom was in a normal state of mind.

... ...

Mark strode over to them. He stopped as the bodies were carried past then hurried on. Not saying a word to either of them, he peered past Tom's shoulder. Lewis looked from Mark to the van, more than a bit puzzled.

Dr. Tate stepped out of the van next, his long legs making it a smooth movement. He reached up and half-lifted Bonnie down, the female had her arm heavily bandaged and in a sling. One of the medical technicians approached and led her away. "Do you have a stretcher ready?" Tate asked. "I've got a patient that can't walk…hey Tom, good to see you!"

"You too, Ed."

"How is her back?" Mark interrupted.

"Uh…fine. Her hip's a mess," the doctor reported.

"Does she need a backboard or anything like that?"

"Oh, no. It's all tissue injuries, not spine or bone."

"Good. Give her to me."

"What?" He turned as Carla appeared in the doorway and offered her a hand down. She took it, turning to look at Mark, her expression one of assessment.

"I will take Anja," Mark told them.

"Mark, we're going to take her to medical, you can see her later," Carla said firmly.

"She goes with me. You can treat her there," he said, nodding at the main house.

"Mark…"

"That, doctor, is an order."

... ...

Lewis' mouth twitched. He'd known the arbiter had it in him, but it was interesting to see what had brought his alpha instincts out. Suppressing a smile, he folded his arms across his chest to wait. At this rate it would be a while before Keridwen got out of there. Tom had evidently come to the same conclusion regarding the likelihood of Dr. Parker emerging any time soon. The younger man sighed and stepped back.

... ...

Keri stared out of the van, almost laughing at Mark's expression. Damn, he had it bad for Anja. Speaking of the little demon…she was cuddled in close and tight, her face tucked into Keri's shoulder, she'd finally managed a true sleep after Keri had used some healing energy on her. "Anja, honey, wake up."

"Nooo. Hurts to be awake…"

Sighing, Keri told her, "I know. But we're home. And look who's waiting for you."

Anja opened one eye and stared suspiciously up at her. "No one waits for Anja," she grumbled. "You just want to get rid of me."

Keri chuckled and hugged her. She'd discovered over the course of the long drive that a lot of Anja's belligerence was due to insecurity. She didn't think people liked her, so she made sure there was a good reason for it. "Not true. Mark just ordered Carla to give you to him. He looks very agitated."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. Uh, well of course he agitated. I'm best courier he's got. And I still can get stuff from the council."

"Nah, that's not it. He likes you." Keri sniggered, "a lot."

Anja frowned. "Well maybe." She shifted, moaned at the pain, and then looked outside the van.

Keri looked out too and grinned. Mark was still arguing with Carla and with Ed. Lewis finally stepped in. Keri smiled wider as she saw him, chuckling to herself as her heart skipped a beat.

"Carla, Mark is your section leader, is he not?" Lewis asked.

"Well, of course."

"Will the female's life be in jeopardy if you obey his instructions?"

"No," she admitted.

"Then, unless you are prepared to replace him with someone who can overset his will, I suggest you obey."

... ...

Anja chuckled. "You lucky," she told Keri.

"Yeah, I know," she hugged Anja gently. "I think you're going to be lucky too."

"Maybe. Not going to have a bond though, arbiters can't. But that's okay. Don't want any more babies." She shuddered. Keri frowned, startled. It was hard to remember that it was normal for dominant women to have children this young…and a lot younger. It must suck being pretty much required to be a teenage mother.

... ...

Mark was leaning into the van. "Anja?"

"Hi," she said, squirming nervously.

"May I take you to my quarters? I can make sure you receive the best care that way." Keri looked from one to the other, struggling to suppress a grin.

"Depends," Anja told him.

"On?"

The girl gave him an audacious look. "Will you be personally taking care of me?"

"I'm not a doctor, Anja. You need medical care…"

She held up a hand. "You know what I mean."

Mark sighed. "Yes, I do." Anja raised an imperious eyebrow. Keri coughed to cover a giggle, but neither of them noticed. He stiffened and raised his chin. "You will come with me," he told her. "I will care for you…personally." Anja laughed as he reached in and gently took her from Keri's arms. She moaned in pain at the shift in position, sighing as she tucked her face into Mark's neck. This, Keri thought, was going to be very interesting.

... ...

Lewis stepped back to allow Mark to pass with his burden. Tom began to move in towards the van, but Lewis shouldered him aside. While he was willing to be patient while the dead and injured were removed, nothing else was going to delay his retrieval of his mate. Keridwen was sitting on the floor of the van, struggling to untangle herself from a blanket. She looked up at him and grinned. "Anja was determined to trap me here I think. Poor thing was in so much pain that she couldn't stay still for more than five minutes at a time."

He shook his head and reached in to help her. As he peeled the cover away, he noticed that Keridwen was smeared with blood. While he was fairly certain it was not hers, he couldn't suppress his fear. Literally tearing the blanket off, Lewis pulled her roughly out of the van and into his arms.

His mate chuckled. "I was worried about you too," she said breathlessly as he let her slide down his body.

"The blood?" he asked.

"Anja's…and Robert's."

Lewis nodded. "I thought as much, but…"

"I know." Keridwen shivered. "This has to have been hell for you."

"Yes."

She nodded and rubbed her cheek against his chest. "I should probably go find Bets."

"No. That's my responsibility."

... ...

"Actually," Carla interrupted. "Unless you plan to replace _me_, it is my duty as chief of medical."

Keridwen's shoulders shook. He frowned down at her and caught her laughing soundlessly at him. "I'm sorry," she managed. "Don't you hate it when you get your words thrown back at you?"

"Yes," he grumbled, "almost as much as I hate my mate not supporting me." She stiffened and started to pull away. "No. Wait. I did not mean it seriously." Keridwen looked up at him, hurt in her eyes. "Cherished, I meant only to…"

"It's okay. We're both probably a little raw right now."

Lewis shook his head. "It is _not_ okay. I should not be treating you in such a manner. You are my mate." He swallowed. "We need to find out what is wrong with me." Urging her back into his arms, he stroked her hair, relaxing as she clung to him and lifted her face for his kiss. He caressed her lips with his own, gently, enjoying their softness. "You are everything to me," he told her. Her lips moved to his ear, and he found himself smiling at her whispered 'I love you'.

Carla was standing patiently, waiting for them to remember her. Lewis nodded to indicate that he was listening. "They are your people," she said grudgingly. "Maybe we should all go talk to them."

"Yes. I agree."

... ...

Tom was beginning to lose patience. Lewis and his mate were blocking the door to the back of the van. It was all well and good that he had been worried for her, but couldn't they take a step or two to the side? He was about to insist they do just that when he felt a familiar presence behind him…several of them. "Tom," Walter said heartily. "It's good to have you back."

The stocky man walked around Tom's left side and held out a hand to him. Tom took it, returned the firm grasp and let go after the appropriate interval. Handshaking was an was actually an entire series of instructional exercises on it in the chameleon program. "Thank you, Walter. It's good to be back…if you can count this as back," he said waving at their surroundings. "Ray," he said as the former police detective came around his right side, "great to see you too."

"This is as back as we've got at the moment," Walter continued. "We lost the lab. Danielle reclaimed the equipment and shut it down. The university is rebuilding their lab now, but they politely informed me that we would not be welcome."

"What will you do?"

"That is something we will all have to discuss. The coexistence faction wants to work with us directly, but their position is shaky at the moment." He paused, a curious light in his eyes. "Do you know this property, Tom?"

"No, never saw it before today."

"You're certain?"

Tom looked around carefully. Nothing seemed the least bit familiar, no deja vue, nothing. "Absolutely."

"It belongs to Lewis. The faction appropriated it while Lewis was incarcerated. They intend to give it back."

"That may not…hmm. Its location is compromised. Lewis will either not want it, or will want to eliminate all those who know of it."

"It would be interesting if both abandon it. But somehow I don't see that happening. Ah well, perhaps Keri can do something about it," Walter mused.

"Keri? Ah, Keridwen Ashton. Lewis'…mate." He couldn't quite suppress a grin.

"Yes and an old friend. Not at all like her cousin, or her grandfather."

Tom frowned. "Grandfather?"

"Senator Grant Ashton…of Connecticut. Not that he's actually lived there in decades."

"There's something I should know about him…I can't remember."

"Don't worry about it, Tom. We'll fill you in later," Walter said. A tiny smile was hovering on his lips.

... ...

Tom opened his mouth to question further; then froze in surprise as a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and a body pressed against him from behind. Even before he looked down at the slender arms with the chunky watch half sliding around the left wrist his heart had started to pound and his breath caught in his throat. "Sloan," he said; his voice a hoarse whisper. She moved slowly around him, not letting go, not speaking. When she finally faced him he saw that her lower lip was trembling. But it was her eyes that really hit him. Bright, huge and so full of emotion, he thought he would drown in them. "Oh Sloan, I was afraid that I would never see you again…" She smiled tremulously and nodded. "Are you okay?" She nodded again. Tom frowned. Sloan, speechless? "You're sure?" he asked. She nodded again. "Sloan, please say something. Anything." To his astonishment she burst into tears and threw her arms around his neck. "Sloan, it's okay. I'm fine, you're fine…we're together."

"It's all my fault…" she began.

"Don't even start that." He loosened her grip and looked her directly in the eyes. "We are not going to do the, my fault your fault thing. We were victimized. It's not our fault. None of us deserved this; none of us are responsible for it." He brushed a few tears from her cheek with his thumb and smiled, remembering the night he'd failed in his assignment to kill her. "Look at this," he teased. Why can't we ever get close without you crying?"

A hesitant smile tugged at her mobile lips. "I don't know. I guess we're stuck in a rut or something."

"Well, that's all right. Just so long as we're stuck together. Yes?"

"Yes," she whispered and hugged him fiercely. Tom smiled. He was back with Sloan. Lewis was going to release his programming. His friends were safe…wait a minute. He looked around then relaxed as he saw David and Dr. T over by the van talking to Walter. Yes, his friends were all safe. All was right with his world.

... ...

Jeffrey looked up as the distinct sound of Harley Davidson Motorcycle engines echoed in the darkness. He frowned. There had to be dozens of them…well, nearly two dozen he amended as his ears adjusted to the onslaught and began to pick out the differences between each. That should make the sapiens women happy. He just hoped they had enough room for everyone. There should be plenty of food. His cousin Tom and Tom's cousin Lewis were watching the long driveway. They both had redheads tucked into their sides. Jeffrey sighed. He had to talk to Lewis about the bikers. He was halfway to the van when Dr. Attwood waylaid him. "Jeff, did you arrange for rooms for our new recruits?"

"Of course. _They_ were expected." He looked past Attwood at the two newcomers. David Bowman was an average looking sapiens. Just under six feet tall, with dark hair and pale green eyes. The woman turned to face them. He swallowed. Straight auburn hair with just a slight wave at the bottom framed an oval face with a high forehead. Her eyes were an unusual combination of blue and green. Very nice, he thought, very nice indeed, but he'd learned early on in his career with the breeding program that only highly educated sapiens women could hold his interest. He looked back at Walter, dismissing thoughts of the attractive lab tech. She'd only be hurt when he became bored.

"You've heard me mention David Bowman, the MD who was in charge of the research side of Danielle's latest travesty. And this is Dr. Caryn Townsend, the Behavioral Neuroscientist for the project."

Jeffrey blinked in surprise. The woman had been described as a technician…_just_ a technician. He began to smile. "Dr. Townsend," he said warmly, ignoring the male. "Welcome to Fresno." The woman looked up at the welcome in his voice, and frowned. This was not promising…

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" she asked, just the barest hint of a Texas drawl in her voice.

"No, I don't believe I've ever had the pleasure," he assured her.

"You just look…so familiar."

"He bears a strong resemblance to Tom," a voice broke in. "Hello, I'm David, and you are?"

Jeffrey stared at the hand that had been thrust in front of him. He took it and looked up at the doctor. "Jeffrey Garrett." He looked back at the female…at Caryn. "Is that it, Dr. Townsend? There is a very strong family resemblance, I know. I'm Tom's cousin."

She smiled, beautifully, he thought. "Yes, that must be it." He could hear the relief in her voice at solving the mystery.

"Perhaps you could have someone show them to their rooms?" Walter hinted dryly. "I'm sure they're both exhausted."

"Ah, of course." He turned back to Caryn. "I'd take you myself, but there is so much to organize." Jeffrey looked around and signaled one of the household staff. "Please show Dr. Townsend…and Dr. Bowman to the guest rooms next to mine," he told the man. He sub-vocalized the rest of his instructions. "Give the woman the connecting room." The steward nodded and motioned for the two sapiens to follow him.

... ...

Keri walked with Lewis and Carla over to where the bikers were reuniting. He led them straight to Bets, standing alone, searching desperately for Kurt. She saw Bear hug Renee and then they made their way over to them. Bets was staring at them, her fear raw and primal. She knew something was terribly wrong. Keri pulled away from Lewis just as Renee arrived. They each slid into Bets' sides as Bear waved Lewis and Carla off and began to speak. Honey, your man was a damned fool, but ya know he was a brave one. Got hisself shot 'cause he got real pissed at one a the spooks and punched the fucker." He paused as Bets began to sob and clung to Keri and Renee. "Ya know you're family," he told her. "We'll be takin' care of ya, iffen ya want. Whatever ya need, ya know?"

She nodded. "I know. I just…damn, why couldn't he have just kept his temper?" she asked, then began to cry again.

Bear smiled sadly. "Kurt keepin' his temper is one a those ox-morons, honey. Ya'll know that."

"Yeah. I know." She looked over at Lewis. "Was it worth it? Did you save your kin?"

Lewis reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. "My cousin is safe. But no, nothing is worth it." Keri could hear the lie, but she knew the others couldn't. She could also tell that Lewis was not lying casually. He was unhappy about the loss and had no other way to express it.

"Honey, your cousin was in the hands of the spooks. My Kurt is gone, but he's safe from them at least."

"Thank you," Lewis said. He looked at the three of them. "If there is anything I can do, please do not hesitate to ask."

"I think we just need a place to rest for now," Renee said, watching as Bets moved into Bear's arms, weeping quietly.

"You've got it. This is my home, you are welcome here."

Renee smiled. "Not just some poor vet biker, huh, superman?"

"No," Lewis admitted. "Not poor, not by a long shot."

Keri slipped one arm around Lewis' waist as the bikers started to walk away. Carla had left them when Bear had waved her and Lewis off. Keri sighed and then frowned. This was Lewis' home? She'd thought it belonged to his government.

They had started to follow Bear and the two women when a slender figure detached itself from the group of mingling bikers. "Daddy!" Amy yelled as she ran and threw herself at Bear.

"Daddy?" Keri heard herself say simultaneously with Lewis.

... ...

James turned around as he heard Amy shouting 'Daddy', just in time to see her fling herself at Bear. "Oh shit," he said. He looked around nervously. There was Lewis, of course. Hmm, he should probably get Lewis' Deuce into the garage. He walked briskly over to the bike, only half-listening to the conversation behind him.

"Damn it, Amy girl, Ah tol' ya not ta call me that," Bear said. "Ya know how your mama used ta rag me with that afore she left me. 'Sides, ain't safe iffen folks know yer mine."

Amy giggled. "I know, I'm sorry. I was just so glad to see you. Someone said that one of our…" she broke off. James looked up and saw her reach out to one of the other women. "Bets…ah no. Oh, hon, I'm so sorry." The rest of the conversation was lost as he pushed the bike out of hearing range.

... ...

He'd parked the Harley near Anja's Hayabusa and had finished cleaning the machine when he felt one of the sapiens entering the garage. He sighed as he identified Amy. "J, you in here?" she asked as she wandered between the vehicles.

"Hello, Amy," he said.

She smiled then ran over and pressed her body up against his. He stared at her lack of self-control. "You're okay!" she gushed. "Man, I was so worried about you!"

"Thank you," he said and began to disengage her grip.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"Aren't you glad to see me, handsome?"

He frowned. "I knew you were safe."

"You knew I was…didn't you miss me?"

James laughed. "I saw you yesterday," he said reasonably. "Why should I be missing you?" She looked up at him, obviously confused, though he couldn't understand why. "Look, I've got work to do. I'll see you around," he told her and started to walk away.

"Wait a minute." Amy moved in front of him. "I thought you liked me."

He looked at her curiously. "I don't understand. Do you now think I dislike you?"

"Well…I mean…I thought you _really_ liked me, you know…"

"Ah...hmm, Amy, are you referring to the coupling?"

"The what?"

"The sex."

"Well, duh."

"Oh." He tried another tack. "Amy, do you know what I am?"

"Yes. You're one of them. The new species."

He nodded and leaned back against a small Mercedes roadster. "Yes. And you are not."

"So?"

"Our sexual encounters are generally assigned pairings specifically for the purpose of breeding, or casual encounters for sexual release. We don't have…ah, relationships like you do."

"Bullcrap. What do you call what Eric and Autumn have?"

"Who?" He realized whom she meant almost as soon as he asked.

"I know that's not their real names, but that's the names they used with us, so we think of them that way. Makes it easier if someone ever asks us about 'em by their real names."

"Oh. Very wise."

"So? What do you call it?" she prompted.

James sighed. How to explain a mating bond to a sapiens… Hell, _he_ didn't really understand it. "It's something very rare and special that can only happen within our species. It's part of our genetic difference."

"Autumn ain't one of you."

"She's not really one of you, either. She has PSI gifts that most of your kind does not." He shrugged. "It was enough to allow them to bond."

"I don't have any of those," she said flatly.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You never liked me…that way, at all?"

"Amy, you are a very attractive female. I definitely enjoyed being with you, but that is all there is to it."

"But…but how could you…I mean…" she broke off as tears began rolling down her cheeks. He began to feel outrage grow in her. "How _could_ you!" she hissed and hit out at him.

He caught her hands in his. "Amy, you kept me drinking until I was very inebriated. Then you seduced me. Was I supposed to remain in control enough not to respond after drinking I don't know how many bottles of beer?"

"Twenty-four," she mumbled, "but what about the next day? You weren't drunk then!"

"No. But I woke naked and alone with an attractive and also naked woman who aroused me and then mounted me. Was I supposed to throw you off or accept the gift you offered?"

Her head drooped. "I guess you think I'm a real slut, huh."

He bit his tongue. It wasn't his place to judge her; he didn't know what sapiens considered acceptable behavior. "You were incredible. I enjoyed myself with you very much. But I don't think you're looking for casual sex and that's all I'm capable of giving you. If I'm wrong, let me know. I don't have a regular sexual partner here."

Amy sighed. "No, you're not wrong." She looked away. "I've made a total fool of myself, haven't I?"

James felt bad. He knew it wasn't his fault…but she was so young and needy. He touched her hair. "No. You just made a mistake."

"Thanks." She hesitated then looked up at him. "J? Uh, James?"

"Yes?"

"Could I just, um…hug you? You know, like a friend?"

He considered it. "As a friend, hmm, I don't have many I can call friend." He shrugged. "We don't as a rule."

"That's kind of sad," she said, moving in and hugging him gently.

James noticed that she did not press herself full length against him this time, the gesture was somehow…comforting. "Yes. I guess it is," he said, returning her hug, carefully using the same body language.

ELSEWHERE

Danielle Ashton seethed as the doctor changed the bandages on the wound in her left biceps, the one she'd received from a sniper on the facility roof. Her right arm was in a halo-style brace, courtesy of her cousin. Keri's shot had shattered her wrist, and the doctors had been forced to replace the bones with a rod made of some synthetic material.

This was Lewis' fault. He'd done something to Keri, corrupted her. Grandfather's vision had been right. The dominants would destroy the rest of her family and then they'd be free to take over the government and then the world. No one else believed in the menace, not really. No action would be taken by anyone else until it was far too late.

She couldn't even find them. Her men had lost them because of some drunken biker rampage and the agency's director had denied her people access to the satellite feed for the area. He had dismantled what was left of her unit because they had unnecessarily killed a civilian, one of the bikers. He said that they were undisciplined and needed better supervision. Her own future with the agency was unclear.

The National Security Advisor, John Maxwell, had visited and said pointedly that her men would be more likely to live longer if they were assigned elsewhere. Damned traitor. Both he and her director may be human…a fact she had made certain of, but they were handing them to the dominants on a silver platter. What the hell was she going to tell grandfather now?


	14. Chapter 14

Sloan was confused. Tom loved her. She knew he did, and even if she hadn't felt it for herself, he had told her so. So what, she wondered as she sat alone against the intricately carved cherry headboard, was he doing sleeping on the floor? He had tried to explain something about releasing programming and bonding and memory blocks, but she simply didn't get it. All she wanted was to make love with the man she loved and who loved her. Why did it have to be difficult? Pain flared in her fingers. She looked down and saw that she had been twisting the sheets into knots around them. Sighing, Sloan untangled them and then folded and refolded the top hem. "Sloan," Tom said from the floor.

"Yes?"

He sat up and looked at her. "Try to sleep, please?"

"Oh, I am trying, but I can't. Not with you down there on the floor."

Tom flowed to his feet. Sloan shivered; she had never seen him move quite like that. "What's wrong?"

"How did you do that?" she asked. He frowned and looked confused. "You stood up…funny, almost like you didn't have a skeleton."

"If I didn't have a skeleton, I wouldn't have been able to stand." She shook her head and sighed. "Sloan, I've always held back. At the lab, at your apartment." He sat down on the edge of the bed and took one of her hands in his. "You know that army commercial? Be all that you can be?" Smiling, she nodded. "Well, you've never seen me be all that I can be. Except maybe that night that Lynch had you trapped in the stairwell, and even then I had to hold back a bit, I wasn't sure how much you could deal with, I didn't want to frighten you away."

"So when you stood just now…"

"You couldn't really tell from Lynch's burned cadaver, but our musculoskeletal system has a lot of very subtle differences from yours. Our muscles are denser, for one, and our bones heavier even though they're about the same proportion as yours are. We weigh a good fifteen percent more than we appear to. And the connections…the cartilage, the ligaments, and the tendons are different, more flexible. None of this shows up very well on x-rays and we generally avoid MRIs like the plague…your specialists didn't have enough time to study the one taken of me before…well, before this happened."

"And your nervous system, that's very different, too, isn't it? We did a scan of Lynch's brain…the power of the firing synapses…incredible."

He nodded. "And that, even more than the muscles and bones, is where that huge differential comes in. When our scientists first figured out just _how_ different we were genetically…oh, decades ago, they couldn't believe it. How could we have a .5 differential from you, being 1.6 on the scale where you are 1.1 from the base and still look like our parent stock?"

"They didn't have the advanced imaging equipment then."

"Yes. They were able to figure out the other differences easily enough through autopsies, but not the nervous system."

Sloan frowned. "But Tom, why didn't you tell us all this before? This would have explained so much."

"I didn't remember." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers gently. "Sloan, I would have told you, you have to believe that."

"I do, I trust you, Tom."

"Thank you." Tom gave her a lopsided smile. "Lewis released the highest levels of my programming and memory blocks on the way back here. Seems he thinks that there are conflicts between the different layers and that's why I didn't kill you." He chuckled. "He was very annoyed when I thanked him and asked him what he thought about my pairing with you formally."

"Tom!"

"You don't want to pair with me?"

"Well, of course…I think. What exactly does that mean in your society?"

"It's kind of like human marriage. Except that it's informal, we just make promises to each other."

"Oh."

He smiled. "Don't sound so thrilled."

"It's not that…I guess..."

"You want more." Tom sighed. "So do I. But I probably can't marry you legally, Sloan. I would, you know that. I love you."

She nodded. "I know." Sloan fussed with the covers a bit, then her hazel eyes widened. Tom was dressed in nothing but a pair of navy blue silk boxers…and he was very obviously aroused. "Tom, if you love me, why won't you sleep with me? It's not that you don't want to," she said, glancing down at his erection straining against the silk.

"Because _I _want more."

... ...

Lewis lay in the dark with his mate huddled close against his chest. She'd allowed him the pleasure of bathing her and dressing her for bed; then had fallen into a deep sleep. Keridwen's utter trust in him was astounding, especially considering the very tenuous hold he had on his control. He'd asked her about it, but she had only smiled and kissed him, and told him that she knew he would never fail her. She was right; he would not, regardless of the cost. He'd thought about his situation for several hours while Keridwen slept, and then had finally come to a decision. It was forced upon him by one of the first options that had come to mind. That particular option was not an option at all; it was insanity, pure and simple. Lewis shuddered. The fact that he had considered such a thing told him how far gone he was.

After going to his computer to take care of the business he needed to complete and composing a letter to his mate and printing everything out, Lewis set the envelope with her name on it on the teak dresser. Then he returned to bed, stroked the tousled curls away from her face and watched her sleep for a while. No matter what happened, he wanted to remember her like this, warm and trusting, lying in his arms. She sighed and turned towards him, her lips automatically seeking that certain spot on his shoulder that she favored. He smiled as her hands wandered over his back and then moved lower. Aroused by her gentle touch, he settled her on her back and began to touch her in turn.

It wasn't long before she was ready for him; legs spread invitingly, nipples taut against the wine dark silk, and the musky scent of her arousal drifting up to him. Keridwen still drifted in a half sleep, barely aware of him as he moved to sheath himself deep within her. Her moan of pleasure echoed his as he began to gently thrust inside his mate's wet heat. He watched her face closely as he gave himself to her, only moving faster once her body had adjusted to his intrusion. She was slowly waking now; he could feel the rise of her consciousness and her surprise at the proximity of release. She was panting with the penetrations, whispering his name and closing her legs around his hips.

... ...

"I don't understand." Tom could hear the annoyance in Sloan's voice. He knew that she was tired of not knowing, not having…coming so close then losing everything. "You were ready to make love with me that last day, before you started to revert to 1.6. Why has that changed? Is it because you're fully a dominant again?"

"No. Sloan, I didn't think anything more than what we wanted then was possible. Now that's changed. Lewis and Keridwen, they've broken the rules, proved that more is possible for us."

"What do Lewis and Keri have to do with you not sleeping with me?"

"The mating bond. It's not supposed to be possible with a sapiens because they don't have the advanced neurological system. But it is."

Sloan looked up at him. "Oh, Tom. Didn't they tell you? She's not really fully human…ah, sapiens."

"Physically she is. And that's why they said it wasn't possible. Sloan, I know that there are minute differences in her DNA from a sapiens, not enough to show up as a differential, but different just the same. But it's her gifts that allowed her to bond with Lewis."

"That still lets me out, Tom. I don't have those gifts."

"Don't you? Oh, not in that degree. But even among my people the level of the gifts varies greatly. Lewis is up at the top end of the scale..." he squirmed internally a bit in embarrassment. "…As am I. And we won't even discuss where Keridwen is on that scale, she's untrained and she can match Lewis easily, or so he tells me. Remember the soldier that was with the bikers?"

"James."

Tom nodded. "He's at the lower end. He has the gifts, but not in great measure."

"So?"

"How many times have you bypassed weeks or even months of research, come up with an answer, and then back tested to prove it true?"

"Um…"

"I've seen you do it a dozen times. Ed told me you've been doing that as long as he's known you. How did you know you could trust me, that I wouldn't kill you?"

"I just…knew."

"You do have PSI type gifts, Sloan. Untrained, probably low or medium level…just a bit under or at what James has, I'm betting. But you do have them. We could have a mating bond…if we're lucky."

"Tom, I don't want what Keri and Lewis have. I don't want you to be like that, it's terrible. He's smothering her…I tell you it's almost abusive."

"No, Sloan. It won't be like that." He bit his lip. "I know this is going to sound strange, and yes, it is partly because of the programming he released, but I'm worried about Lewis. There is something wrong and it's related to a memory block he's had for over twenty years. I've known others with mating bonds. It's not like you're describing…it's beautiful. Like what your people sometimes call soul mates. You are so much a part of one another that it takes your breath away. I want that with you, Sloan."

"Oh, Tom, you already take my breath away, we don't need that." He closed his eyes, trying to hide his disappointment. "But, if you want it…then I want it too."

... ...

Keri woke to the exquisite sensation of Lewis' thick cock thrusting deep within her. She was annoyed at first that he hadn't awakened her, but the delightful tenderness he was showing more than made up for it. His hands were gently stroking and rubbing all over her body, urging her even closer to orgasm. She teetered on the edge, using her legs to pull him closer with each penetration, and calling his name.

His eyes burned into hers; Keri had never seen him so totally focused on her…not just her body, but her soul. As her orgasm took both of them on the beautiful ride of doubled pleasure she knew that she could never love anyone more completely than she did her mate. She was his, forever.

Lewis gathered her close and told her how beautiful and incredible she was. His hands soothed her back and neck, urging her now to relax and to drift back to sleep. She was somewhere on the border between waking and sleeping when his words shocked her awake. "Never forget me, cherished. Tell our child how much you meant to me…how much you both meant to me."

... ...

Her heart had melted at his disappointment. Sloan was ready to promise Tom anything. He was right, something was very wrong with Lewis, she had heard the others talking about it. Maybe this mating bond really was a good thing. She lifted up the covers in invitation. "Coming to bed now?"

"No! Sloan, you just said…" he trailed off.

She was confused again. "You said you wanted to do this mating bond, I said okay. What, do people with mating bonds not sleep with each other?"

"Of course they do. But we can't try to bond yet, not until the rest of the programming and memory blocks are removed."

"Okay. So once they are, we'll try to bond."

"Right." He got up and moved back to the floor.

"Tom!"

He looked back at her. "Yes?"

Sloan shook her head. "I've missed something again. We're going to try to bond once everything is removed…so why are you going back to the floor?"

"Because we can't make love until then."

"Why not?"

Comprehension dawned on his face. "Oh. Sloan, I'm sorry. I didn't explain the bonding process." He moved back to the bed on his hands and knees…she couldn't call it crawling; the movement was too liquid for that. It was incredibly sensual. "Part of the ritual that allows you to reach for the bond is sexual intercourse. You can only reach for the bond when it's your first time…"

"Uh, Tom, I'm no virgin. And if you are, I'll be surprised."

"…_together_," he finished, giving her a reproving look.

She flushed. "Oh. Why is that?"

"Because bonding is very much a voyage of discovery. And if you already have intimate sexual knowledge of your partner, then there is no physical corollary to the emotional and psychological discoveries of the bond."

"So we can't make love…in any way, shape or form…until the programming and blocks are removed or we won't be able to bond."

"Right. Well, we could, but that would be dangerous if we did bond."

Sloan looked up at the ceiling. It was a very nice ceiling, carefully patterned stucco; a nice smooth cream color. "I think I'm getting a headache," she finally said.

Tom laughed, then leaned in and kissed the corner of her mouth. "Sloan, I'm so sorry." He sobered and leaned on the bed to look carefully into her eyes. "If something goes wrong in removing anything and we've already bonded, you could be killed. I won't risk that."

"Oh. I didn't…"

"I know. I understand that now." His smile was rueful. "It's the culture gap. I hadn't appreciated just how wide it is, I thought I understood after all that time I spent with you, but I guess not. Maybe I learned what I was missing from your culture, but because so much of mine was blocked from me, I had no way of knowing what you were missing from mine."

"Well, Agent Daniels, we're just going to have to work on that."

"Yes. I think I can happily spend the rest of my life working on that."

... ...

Keridwen's eyes snapped open. She hadn't been as close to sleep as he had thought. "What do you mean, never forget you? We're bonded, we'll always be together, how can I forget you?" She was glaring at him as she shifted to sit back against the headboard.

He sighed. Now that she had asked directly, he couldn't lie to her. "My own, I'm getting worse. I'm a danger to you. I'm going away…to Europe. I'll remove the threat to you there so that you'll be safe."

"You're going there to kill yourself," she accused.

"Yes."

"No. Lewis, if you leave me…I won't survive that."

"Yes, you will. I'll be far enough away that the trauma won't reach you through the bond."

She stared directly into his eyes; hers were almost silver and colder than he'd ever seen them. "That's not what I meant." She bit her lower lip. "Lewis, I don't _want_ to live without you. I love you…my heart would break and I would wither away. Maybe not physically, not at first; but I wouldn't care about anything or anyone ever again. And that _would_ kill me."

"Yes, you would care. You must." He stroked her belly; then leaned to kiss it. She gasped as she remembered the rest of what he'd said before.

"Oh my god. Lewis! We were going to wait…we decided it wasn't safe."

"I know. I'm sorry. Once I remembered my loss, all that I could think about was getting back what I'd once had. That need overrode my best intentions for your safety…and then the bond imperative kicked in…Please forgive me." He dropped his head into her lap.

Keridwen sighed and ran her fingers through his closely cropped hair. "How can you leave us? Especially now that you're so close to having a family again?"

"You wouldn't ask that if you had any idea of the thoughts I've been having about how to ensure that no one could hurt you."

"Wouldn't I? Lewis, I do understand what you're going through. I can guess what kind…"

"NO. You could not guess this. It was…is unspeakable."

"Then tell me. Prove to me that you need to leave me."

"Keridwen…" He fought down the anguish that threatened to overwhelm him.

"All right, then. I'll tell you." He stared up at her, knowing she could not possibly imagine it. "At some point, the thought crossed your mind that you could prevent anyone else from ever harming me again by killing me yourself. And then, of course, you would die. That way you could never fail me." Lewis began to shake…she knew. How had she known? "I love you. I _trust_ you. We will face this together." She held out her arms for him. He hesitated, and then slid in beside her. "We can handle _anything_ together."

"Keridwen, I…"

"Shhh. In the morning we'll talk to Carla. She has some ideas on this. You want to live to see our baby, don't you?" He nodded and found his hand moving back to her stomach. "Promise me that you will not leave me. Promise that when I wake up in the morning that you'll still be here, beside me, where you belong."

He nodded. There were other options. "I promise that I'll be here in bed with you when you wake up in the morning."

"Alive," she said sternly.

"Of course, alive." He let irritation color his voice. "If I were not, you would not be alive to wake up in the morning."

"Okay," she said. He sighed and rested his cheek against her breasts. He could feel her mood lighten as she hugged him closer. "I love you and our baby will love you. We have so much to live for."

Once she fell asleep he got up and made minor alterations to the documents he had prepared earlier. After replacing the envelope on the dresser, he joined her in bed and watched her sleep. Dawn finally arrived. Lewis laid back and settled himself carefully on the pillow. Using meditation techniques, he let his eyes drift closed and his body relax.

... ...

Sloan sighed as she watched Tom go back to the floor. "I don't suppose you could just sleep in the bed with me?"

"No. I don't think I could handle that."

"What, no self control? I thought chameleons were big on that?"

He grinned. "With you, I have no control…over anything. You're different, Sloan. Beautiful, stubborn, intelligent, sexy…did I say stubborn?" She threw a pillow at him. He caught it and laughed outright, then tucked it beneath his head.

"I love you too, Tom," she said, then pulled the covers up to her chin. "Good night."

"Good night, Sloan. I love you."

... ...

Keri woke suddenly, something was wrong. Lewis slept quietly beside her, showing no sign of being disturbed. She chewed on her lower lip. If he was still asleep, why wasn't she? Deciding it was just nerves; she slipped out of bed to use the bathroom. She was on her way back to their bed when Lewis moaned. His face was contorted in pain. Keri ran to him, tripped on the rug, and fell across the bed, landing on top of him. This might have been funny, she had expected him to open his eyes and make a sarcastic comment about her inherent grace, but he didn't stir.

"Lewis?" She checked him over. His pulse was normal, as were his heart and respiration. His consciousness was there beyond the boundaries of the bond…quiescent in sleep as expected. He just wouldn't wake up. This was bad. Keri ran from the room past the startled guard and down the hall to pound on Mark's door. She had no idea where to find Carla.

... ...

Mark started when someone pounded on his door. His concentration had been focused on the young woman sleeping fitfully beside him and he hadn't noticed anyone approaching. He brushed Anja's forehead with his lips and then got up to find out what Keri wanted.

She was agitated…and barely dressed. The burgundy silk garment clung to her in strategic places. What was Lewis thinking, allowing his mate to wander the halls dressed like this? Mark answered his own question. Lewis would never allow this. Something was very wrong.

"What's happened, Keri?"

"It's Lewis…I need Carla. He won't wake up and he's in pain. I don't know what's wrong…please…"

"Calm down. Go back to him, I'll call Carla and then I'll be right there." She nodded and fled down the hall. Anja was staring at him when he passed the bed on the way to the phone.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Lewis isn't well. I need to go see to him. Will you be all right here on your own, or should I call someone to sit with you?"

She frowned in thought as he alerted Carla to the situation. "Someone to sit with me, please. In case I need the bathroom or something."

"All right." He turned back to the phone. "And Carla, bring someone to take care of Anja while we deal with this. Yes. Thank you." He hung up the phone and touched Anja's cheek as he passed by the bed. "I'll return as soon as I can," he promised.

On his way down the hall he stopped by the rooms assigned to the sapiens physicians. They had the resources; they might as well make use of them, he thought. Both Dr. Tate and Dr. Bowman answered promptly, and promised to follow as soon as they dressed.

Keri was in tears by the time he reached the master suite. She'd pulled on a loose fitting robe though, so at least she was coherent. "Still nothing, Mark. I can feel him through the bond, but I can't reach him…what is going on?"

"I don't know. Carla is on the way and I've also…" he turned to the door as David Bowman walked in. The doctor moved immediately to Lewis' side and started checking vitals. Mark had just turned back to Keri when Ed Tate literally skidded down the hall and fell into the room.

He came to a rest on the thick Persian rug. "Damn, forgot how well they polish those floors," he muttered. "Should have put the shoes on."

Mark looked down at Tate's sock-covered feet and suppressed a smile. Keri would not likely appreciate mirth at the moment. He drew her over to the chaise, and sat down beside her, holding her hands.

"Do we have any equipment for neurological monitoring or scanning?" David asked.

"Yeah, just about anything portable," Ed told him. "What do you need?"

"Good morning, gentlemen," Carla said as she entered the room followed by several people carrying medical equipment. "Keri, relax. I don't believe he's in any immediate danger."

"But you think it's very serious," Keri said in a dull voice.

"Yes. But let me take some readings before you start to worry too much."

"Carla, he was talking about leaving me, about committing suicide earlier tonight because he was a danger to me."

"What? He would leave you…now? In your cond…ah, that is…"

"It's okay, I know. I found out tonight. Yes, even now, he's that afraid of hurting me."

"Mark, go wake Tom and Alexa. We're going to need trained Empaths if he's done what I think he's done."

"And what is that?" Keri asked.

Carla looked at Lewis, then came over and knelt in front of Keri and took her hands. "I think he's shut himself down psionically. He'll live so long as he receives nutrients and water, but he won't be conscious. Ever. I'm not certain yet; I've only seen this once before when a bond mate was dying of a painful terminal illness. He wanted to spare his mate the pain he was feeling because he knew that she would not leave his side." Carla shook her head sadly. "Did he leave a letter or anything?"

"I…don't know. I woke up and…"

Mark stood and looked around the room. He came back to the chaise and handed the 9" x 12" envelope he found on the dresser to Keri. She caught back a sob then opened it. While she was pulling out a sheath of papers, including what appeared to be a complete set of false identification papers and a passport for her, several deeds as well as a number of vehicle titles and other legal documents, a few smaller papers fluttered to the ground.

He bent and picked them up. Plane tickets to Geneva. Made out to the false identity and companion. Mark didn't have to read the letter to know that Lewis wanted Keri to spend the remainder of her pregnancy in Switzerland with Carla or another dominant physician, and that he wanted them to terminate him once his child had been safely delivered. Lewis was a fool.


	15. Chapter 15

Tom woke up from a nightmare…this wasn't uncommon for him, but this time, the nightmare wasn't even his. He stayed where he was on the cool oak parquet floor and tried to piece it together. A woman and child had been weeping inconsolably and he had been powerless to help them. The woman had red hair and at first he had thought it was Sloan, but then realized her mental signature was that of a dominant woman. The child…no, the children had stared up at him beseechingly, their bright blue eyes framed by strawberry blonde curls. He didn't know the reason for the tears, he wasn't even certain how he knew that the dream was not his own. But the almost physical pain that had accompanied it had been unbearable. It was a wonder he hadn't woken Sloan.

"Tom? Are you okay?"

There was nothing to wonder at. He _had_ woken Sloan. "Fine," he said as he sat up. "It was just a nightmare."

"Sounded painful."

He nodded. "It was." He rose and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"You know, your apologizing is getting to be almost as bad as my crying," Sloan teased.

"I'm…damn. Almost did it again." Tom grinned and reached for her hands. "We've really got to stop meeting like this."

"Yeah, we need to start meeting _under_ the covers."

"Slo-oan…"

"I know, I know," she groused. "Now what's the matter," she asked as he shuddered.

He shook his head, trying to search for the source of the feeling of horror. The general direction became apparent, but the actual source was blocked. "Trouble. I don't know…" A sound of something pounding on wood echoing from down the hall interrupted him. "Something's happening, whatever's going on, is bad. I've picked up a projected nightmare, projected pain and now horror." He moved as he spoke, retrieving and donning the clothing Jeffrey had given him the night before.

"Projected?"

"Yes. Sometimes powerful Empaths…well, leak. Sometimes they send on purpose, but this felt like leakage."

"Tom…"

"Sloan, I don't have time right now. There are only two people in the vicinity that are strong enough to project through my screens."

"Lewis and Keri?" she guessed.

He nodded. "And considering his condition that is bad news. Stay here, please."

... ...

Mark walked briskly to the wing of the house where Tom had been assigned quarters. Alexa's small suite was also in this wing of the Y-shaped mansion. He was only marginally surprised to meet them in the hall. "It's Lewis," he told them. "Come with me and I'll fill you in."

They were up to date by the time they reached the master suite. Alexa was relatively calm, but Tom was furious. Mark stopped the younger chameleon in the hall outside. "Tom, calm down. You are going to upset Keri and she's in a bad enough state as it is."

"How could he do this? What was he thinking?"

Mark sighed. "Tom, the strain from the partial release of the blocked memories was enough to break anyone. It's to his credit that he controlled it this long."

"He abandoned his mate. You just don't do that."

"You also don't harm your mate. Carla believes that he was very close to doing that and chose this as the only way he could see to protect her from himself."

"No. Lewis would never harm Keridwen. He cherishes her…no; it's more than that. Maybe he won't use the word, but I will. He loves that woman."

"I agree."

"You…do?" Tom stared at him, confused.

"Yes." Mark paused, searching for a way to explain. "Tom, imagine being in a bond with Dr. Parker. Half your memories…all the memories of the joy you had as a youth are locked away from you. But the other memories, those of the tragedy that stole away everything you loved, are not only with you, but relentlessly pounding at you day and night. Your bond mate is a new source of joy…the only one you have, but everything and everyone around you seems to be conspiring to take this from you as well."

"That's paranoia."

"Yes, it is, and of a particularly vicious sort." Mark looked past the surface. Tom had calmed considerably and he saw a level of sorrow rising in the chameleon. "Let's go inside. Carla will explain to you what Lewis has done and what you can do to help him."

... ...

The doctors had finished examining Lewis. Carla had left the electrode patches on his temples and chest, but had removed the rest of the monitoring equipment. Keri frowned, trying to hear the conversation that Carla was holding with Ed and David in hushed tones on the other side of the room. To try and keep her mind occupied while they worked, she had gone through the stack of documents Lewis had left for her. In addition to another envelope addressed to Tom, the identity papers for her, and the plane tickets, it had included a number of deeds. There was one for each of the properties that made up this facility, a deed to a house in the Oakland Hills, and a deed to what was apparently a ranch of some sort in Australia. The size of that property had shocked her. She knew nothing about ranches, let alone ranches in Australia, but she could not imagine owning over a hundred and seventy thousand acres of land.

There were also titles to several vehicles; vehicles, not just cars. She could understand him owning the BMW, the Mercedes, the Jeep, the small assortment of bland domestic cars, several types of boats, and even the Humvee. What had thrown her was the Kenworth rig. Lastly were the bank statements. The two largest balances were in the Caymans and in Switzerland, but there was also a sizable account in the Union Bank of California and to that one he'd added her name, or, rather, the name on the forged identity papers and passport. She didn't remember signing anything for him, but the letter said that her signature would match the bank's signature card. Somehow she didn't doubt it. Lewis was a very wealthy man, even by Ashton standards. Keri didn't want to know how he had gotten that way.

The doctors were talking with Tom and Alexa now. Keri put the papers aside and climbed into the bed beside Lewis. Carla had told her that he could not hear, feel, or sense them in this state. Keri didn't care. She needed to feel and sense him. Lying down carefully beside her mate, she slid her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. Even with the physical contact she could now pick up only the faintest echo of him through the bond. She was very much afraid that they were running out of time.

... ...

Carla sighed at the sight of Keri huddled up against Lewis' side. She understood the choice he'd made, but since he had recognized the severity of his condition, she would have thought that he would also recognize that he was not capable of making a rational decision on his own and ask for help from an expert. She'd said as much to Tom and Alexa. They had snorted at the idea. Lewis? Asking someone for help? If he survived this, and that was a big if, he damn sure better learn or she was going to personally kick his ass…somehow. There seemed to be something of a consensus on that. But, if he were reclaimed again he would likely have yet another change of personality and attitude. Perhaps he wouldn't need the reminder at that point. Hmph. And pigs will fly. Ah, well. They would worry about that if and when he survived. She walked over to Lewis' side of the bed with the two chameleons. "Keri?" The younger woman looked up at her. Though her cheeks were still tear-stained, her eyes were calm now and her lower lip no longer trembled.

"Yes?" she answered softly.

"You are going to have to go into Lewis' mind again, to find the splintered parts of it that hold the positive memories of Marjorie and the children. But since Lewis has deliberately blocked himself off, it's not going to be as easy to find him this time."

"It wasn't easy last time."

"I know. This time he will actively try to hide from you, but that's okay. Alexa and Tom are going to help you find him."

"How?"

"They are going to use programming techniques used on uncooperative subjects to track him down. We believe that he won't run from them. They'll let him think they are trying to confirm his instructions and that when they know this is what he wants; they will leave him alone."

"Leave him to die, you mean."

Carla sighed at the bitter note in Keri's voice. "Yes. But we won't be doing that. Once they find him, Tom will pull you into the link. You won't have to waste valuable time and strength tracking him down. Then they will withdraw and it will be up to you."

"Okay, I guess. Um, I don't know how to link…"

"That's all right. Tom will take care of it."

"Keridwen, you…" Tom began.

"Don't call me that!" she snapped.

Tom stared at Keri. "I don't understand."

"Call me Keri. Only Lewis calls me Keridwen."

"Ah. I'm sorry. He spoke of you for hours…almost the entire trip here from the coast. He only referred to you as Keridwen. I thought that was what you were called?"

Keri caught back a sob. "He talked about me?"

"Yes. He's very proud of you, you know?"

She pressed her hand against her mouth. Her shoulders were shaking. "I didn't know." Her eyes were wet as she looked up at Tom. "Lewis thinks Keri is a frivolous name. So I let him use my full name. But _only him_."

Carla could feel Tom's discomfort. "Keri, Tom couldn't have known that. You aren't angry with him, are you?" That would not be good. Keri had to trust Tom to allow him to link with her.

"No, it's not his fault. Just…"

"It's all right, Keri," Tom said. "I understand. Can you relax with me; let me try to touch your mind?"

"Sure."

... ...

Tom swallowed. This was going to be one of the most difficult missions he'd ever attempted. Talk about inner-space! He would have to juggle Lewis' fractured personality with Keridwen…Keri's emotions, all while trying to make one of the most astute judges of such things that he'd ever known believe a lie. Tom decided not to even think about how his own vulnerabilities would factor into this mess. He slowly reached out to Keri's mind. Her shields, constructed in a way that made no sense to him but seemed to be very effective, began to drop cautiously. The raw strength was impressive, especially for a sapiens he was thinking just as the last of the shields fell away. Tom blinked.

"What's wrong?" Carla asked. "What happened?"

He looked up at the physician from where he had landed on the floor. "You know that question about the next step in our evolution?"

"Yes."

"I hope it is, because if this is a third species developing, we're screwed." He accepted Alexa's hand up. "I think I'd better sit down for this," he decided and pulled a wing-backed chair over to the bed. "Ed, it's not funny."

"Sorry, Tom," Ed chuckled. "But it is. You really should have seen your face when you went flying."

Tom sighed. And Lewis lived with this as part of him every day? His respect for his former mentor jumped several notches. At least this explained the bonding. Lewis _had_ subconsciously recognized her as having something valuable to contribute to their gene pool. Valuable indeed. Their offspring…Tom shook off the thought and refocused on the task at hand. If they did not succeed here, there would be no offspring. "Okay, Keri. Let's try that again. This time you need to not flinch when you feel me touch you. Why don't you try and pretend that I'm handing you something…like a rope that only you and I can see? I won't touch you, I'll hold out the rope and you take it from me."

"I'll try."

"You can do this. You _need_ to do this if you want Lewis back."

"Yes," she whispered.

He sat back and reached out again. This time he visualized holding out the rope to her. In his imagination she stood there, unmoving, dropping the shields again. As they began to fall she turned toward him, holding out a hand that glowed translucently. He laid the rope across the bright fingers and they grasped it tightly. "All right, Keri, whatever you do, don't let go of the rope until you reach Lewis. Once we find him, I'll tug on it twice, like this." He gave two mental tugs to the piece of his consciousness represented by the 'rope'.

"Got it."

"Great. You're doing just fine." He took a deep breath, fixed the agreed upon deception in his mind, and slowly let the breath out again. "Alexa, are you ready?"

"Yes, Tom. Shall I take point?"

"Please. He'll be less likely to suspect you in this."

She smiled. "True. He knows I have control over my emotions." Tom watched as she settled down in another chair and closed her eyes. She was going in, and he followed immediately behind her.

It didn't take them long. They found Lewis standing in what appeared to be a round empty room. "Alexa, Tom, I've been expecting you. Well, I expected one or the other of you, why are you both here?"

"Lewis," Alexa said with a respectful nod. "We were a bit surprised at your instructions, and wanted a witness to your confirmation of them." She paused to see if he accepted her explanation, then continued as he nodded. "Don't you think this action is a bit extreme?"

Tom tugged stealthily on the consciousness tendril that was serving as his connection to Keri.

"It was the only viable choice, Alexa. Tom, you can see that I did the only thing possible to protect my mate and child, can you not?"

"No, Lewis. I can't see that. You should have talked to Carla first." Where was Keri? They couldn't keep him occupied for long without him becoming suspicious.

"She would have had me risk Keridwen in a different way. It's too much. This is better."

Tom felt Keri approaching rapidly. He passed the feeling on to Alexa and they stepped aside and back to allow Lewis' mate to take their place in front of him.

"Better for _whom_?" Keri asked, her mental voice resonating through the room.

Lewis stared past her at the retreating representations of his daughter and his cousin. "How could you _do_ this to me!" he howled.

"How could _they_ do this to _you_?" Keri was pissed now. "You selfish son of a bitch! You're the one who's done this. You…" she had no words for her anger. "Agghhhh!" she screamed inarticulately and backhanded him across the face with all her mental strength. He literally flew across the white corner-less room. She followed after him, not daring to let him out of her sight. His expression was dazed as he looked up at her.

"Keridwen, what have I done to deserve this?" She would have hit him again for that, but he looked genuinely confused.

"Damn it, Lewis, you _left_ me!"

"Cherished, I had no choice. I could have killed you, and our child."

"No. You wouldn't have." She held out a hand, but he ignored it and stayed on the white floor stubbornly looking up at her. "I know you, and I trust you."

"You don't understand. I couldn't trust myself."

She sighed as she squatted down beside him. "Come on; let's get you off the floor." He allowed her to slip under his left arm and put her right arm around his waist. They stood. As she had hoped, the now familiar contact did much to reassure him.

"How many times must I bear the shame of having my mate protect and support me, when it is I who should be protecting and supporting her?" he asked miserably.

"You do protect and support me, all the time." She turned to look him straight in the eye. "Every time you hold me when you aren't feeling any need for physical contact and I am, you are supporting me. Every time you don't let me put myself down you are protecting me." Keri wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. "Besides, isn't the bond supposed to be a cooperative kind of thing? A we instead of you or me?"

"Yes. Of course it is."

"Well, then _we_ are protecting _us_. It doesn't matter whose abilities are used for it. The entire time we were on the run I had to totally rely on you. Did I complain? I don't think so."

"Keridwen, that was different," Lewis told her.

"Why? Because you're the man; and I'm the woman? I thought better of you than that."

"No, because I am the alpha partner in this bond. By initiating it, I took responsibility for you and asked you to depend on me." His fingers clenched in her hair. "I am failing you."

"You are failing me by leaving me. Lewis, we have to do this together. I'm here now; you know I won't leave without you. Help me find the positive memories. It's their absence that is crippling you."

"There are no positive memories of that time. I've looked."

"What do you mean you've looked?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Just as I've said. When Carla asked about the children's third birthday I couldn't remember it. I put her off, but it disturbed me, so I looked internally to see if I could find the block. There is no block left. Something about it or something that's happened since then has destroyed the memories utterly. There is no going back for me."

"I don't believe that…but it doesn't matter," she added hastily as he began to protest. "If they're gone, then it won't hurt to let me look, will it?"

"And when we don't find them?"

Keri pressed her lips against his neck. "_If_ we don't find them, I'll leave and I'll…" she sobbed, then quieted as he stroked her back. "I'll use the plane tickets," she whispered.


	16. Chapter 16

"Thank you, my own," Lewis said softly in her ear. "I know how difficult a promise that was for you to make. But it sets my mind at ease."

"Well, maybe if you're not worried about me as much you'll be able to help me find those memories," Keridwen said.

He sighed. "I have looked, you know. I had no wish to do this, to leave you. My place is by your side." Lewis drifted down slowly to his knees and laid his head against her abdomen. "Do you think I want to miss our son's birth?"

"Oh, you're so sure you've fathered a son, are you?" she laughed. "It would serve you right if I had a girl." His ploy had worked; she was laughing now. He hated it when she was sad, and it gave him an almost physical pain in this state. "Come on, help me look." She snorted. "Humph, a son, huh?" Lewis obediently led her around the stark white room. He liked order and discipline and his mind reflected it. His life experiences were neatly stored behind labeled doors. He watched as she moved from one to the next, softly reading the labels aloud. Suddenly she stopped and shook her head. "Damn, love. I knew you were a neat freak, but this is positively anal!" Lewis wasn't sure if he should be offended or not. "I mean, come on, look at this: Learning to handle C-4 safely at age 7. Age seven? Really?" He nodded. "Okay." She moved on. "Let's see, Learning to use chopsticks, Chinese at age 8, Learning to use chopsticks, Japanese at age 8. Talk about picky."

"They are very different skills," he defended himself.

She sighed. "I know, but…never mind. Now what is this next one? Ah, Learning to perform… oh my god! At age nine? Lewis! That's terrible!"

Lewis tried not to smile. Her cheeks were scarlet. "We _are_ sexually maturing by that age," he commented.

"But…don't you ever get to be children?" He shrugged. "Damn, that is so sad."

"Keridwen, my upbringing made me who and what I am, the man you fell in love with, or so you say."

"I more than just say it, and you know it."

"Yes, I do. Besides, don't you think you're being a tad hypocritical – considering how much you enjoy that particular skill, hmm?"

She looked up at him with a woeful expression. "Now that I know how young you were when you learned it, I don't think I'll ever enjoy it again."

"Keridwen," he scolded.

"Well…"

He chuckled, then sobered. "Do you understand now why I can tell you with confidence that those memories are not here?"

Keri sighed. "Maybe the memory block just doesn't let you see them." She continued down the curving wall, for her peace of mind and future sexual enjoyment ignoring the descriptions of the memories and concentrating just on the ages at which they had occurred. Carla had told her that Lewis bonded with Marjorie when he was sixteen and Marjorie was fourteen. It had been her first pairing and Lewis' third. Their first and only set of children had been born just a little less than a year later. She reached the doors labeled with age sixteen and had begun skimming the descriptions when she reached a door with no label. "Lewis," she called. Keri turned to find him already at the next door. "What about this one? Why isn't it labeled?"

"Why isn't what labeled?" he asked.

"This door."

He stared at the door and then looked down at her. "What door?"

"You don't see a door here?"

"No. It's an empty wall."

Keri smiled, now they were getting somewhere. She moved rapidly along the wall, now checking only for doors without labels. There weren't any more. She circled the entire room and stopped again at the single unlabeled door. "This must be it. I'm going in."

"Keridwen, you can't walk into a…" he broke off as she opened the door and stepped through it.

Keri found herself in a meadow. The region was mountainous and cool, though the sun was shining brightly. It wasn't a place she recognized. She tried to will herself to Lewis' side but didn't move. Then she remembered that last time that particular trick had taken her to the memory pocket, but she had walked through the landscape to find him within it. Strolling along slowly, Keri let her feet choose a path into the tree line. A few minutes later she was rewarded by the sound of children laughing and shouting. As she rounded a bend, she saw them running back and forth across a small clearing, evidently playing tag. Her throat closed up and tears sprung up in her eyes as she watched them play. They were so beautiful, so alive and full of energy.

"Cassie! You're it, you're it," a little boy with dark red hair and bright blue eyes shouted to a blonde girl.

"Am not!" she insisted. "Lissa's it, I tagged her!"

The boy stared then started to run from the other child with red curls who had been quietly standing beside him, hiding a grin behind one small hand. He moved too late and Lissa tagged him and skipped away, giggling. "Aww, that's cheating!" he cried. "Daddy, Cassie and Lissa are cheating!" The boy ran off just out of Keri's sight into the trees.

She followed quickly and was surprised that the children ignored her presence. But then, the soldiers had ignored her in the other memory. Maybe they couldn't recognize anything outside of the actual events of which they were a part? Keri stopped just before the trees began. Through a narrow finger of them was another clearing. Lewis…another young Lewis was sitting in the middle of it, patiently listening to his son. He finally smiled at the boy and pointed out that his sisters were using cooperative strategy, and were not cheating. Lewis hugged the child and sent him on his way.

He turned suddenly and fixed a laser blue gaze on her. "Who are you?" he asked. "And how did you get so close?" Lewis flowed to his feet as he spoke, his muscles tensing.

She took a deep breath and stepped through the trees. "My name is Keri, and I came to see you," she began.

"I want to know how you got so close without my noticing you."

"Um, I guess I was shielding."

His eyes narrowed. "You aren't one…what do you know of shielding?"

Keri smiled, he was obviously confused. Lewis still got that same look in his eyes when something happened that he didn't expect. He actually got that look a lot, though he claimed, however indulgently, that it was her fault. "I'm half-adapted," she explained. "I have the PSI gifts, but not the physical improvements."

"Ah. That explains much." He relaxed marginally. "What do you want with me?"

"Well, I need to discuss…"

"Lewis? Who are you talking to," a woman's voice called. It was tinged with concern. Keri turned to see Marjorie gliding through the trees. Yep, gliding was the word for it. The young woman was impossibly beautiful, her features even and serene. Even her slightly puzzled expression was breathtaking. Keri fought down feelings of inadequacy, but couldn't help thinking that she did not measure up to what he had lost.

"Keri," Lewis said. "This is my wife, Marjorie. Marjorie, we have a guest. Her name is Keri and she is one of the partially-adapted."

"Your wife?" Keri asked. "I thought she was, ah, is your bond mate?"

"What guest, Lewis? Who are you talking about?"

"Ah, well, she is also my wife. Marjorie met a sapiens girl who was getting married and thought it was the most romantic thing…did you not, cherished?" Lewis asked with a heart-stopping smile.

"Yes, but who are you telling this to? Lewis, are you feeling all right?" Marjorie stopped in front of Lewis and felt his forehead, then tucked herself under his left arm, looking around them uneasily.

"I'm talking to Keri. She's standing right in front of you…can't you see her?"

"I see no one but you, and the children off in the next clearing."

Keri sighed. "She can't see me, Lewis. I'm not physically here with her."

Lewis frowned. "Why don't you gather the children and go back to the house, my mate. I'll be in shortly."

"Is everything okay?"

"It will be. Don't worry; I will not let anything harm us." Marjorie kissed him quickly then ran off, calling for the children. "What do you mean you aren't physically here?" he asked.

"Lewis, you've been ill, desperately ill. I'm here to help you be well again."

"I'm in perfect health."

"Here, yes. But this is a memory, not the current reality. This happened when you were maybe twenty-three years old."

"And I'm not twenty-three now?" he asked.

Keri squirmed. She hated having to explain this. "No. You're forty-seven now."

He laughed. "And I suppose you are in your fifties."

"No, I'm the age I appear right now, because I wasn't part of this memory." She was starting to get depressed. How was she going to convince him to leave a place where he was young and happy? It had been hard enough getting him to leave pain and sorrow.

"Okay, let me see if I understand this. This isn't Colorado; this is a place in my mind." He paused as she nodded. "I'm not twenty-three, I'm forty-seven." She nodded again. "And Marjorie is not twenty-one, she's, um, forty-five?"

Keri sighed. "Lewis, sit down," she said as she imagined a large tree stump behind each of them and sat on the one that materialized behind her.

He was staring at her; his jaw had dropped. "How did you do that?"

"This is a place in your psyche, you can make anything you want happen here," she told him. He finally sank down onto the stump. "Lewis, you are getting ready to go to meet some American government officials, are you not? The council has arranged to meet with a few powerful senators, military officers and cabinet members to arrange for your people to be given legal recognition in the U.S., correct?"

"If you know to ask, then you know it is true," he said cautiously.

She nodded. "You will meet with them, and they will promise to hold a news conference to reveal your existence to the world. Then they will give you all U.S. citizenship…or so they tell you."

"This hasn't happened yet."

"When you are forty-seven it will be history." She took another deep breath and then let it out. "Ten thousand of your people will gather in Oaxaca, Mexico for the press conference. But instead of helicopters bringing reporters and immigration officials, the U.S. government sends soldiers in gun ships."

Lewis stood. "You are a precognitive? I must warn the council."

"Sit down, Lewis. I am telling you what I know of _history_. It has already happened and a _long_ time ago." He sank back down, looking shocked. Keri rubbed her temples. "Nearly nine thousand of your people died that day, Lewis. Among them were your mate and your four children…"

"NO! You lie!" He leapt to his feet and crossed over to her.

"You know I'm not lying," she said as his hands closed on her throat.

He paused, staring into her eyes. Lewis started to shake. "If that is true, then why do I live? How could I live so many years past the…" His voice broke and his eyes filled with tears, "…the death of my mate?"

"Lewis, you were very valuable to the council."

"I am Chosen."

Keri still didn't understand that, though he had tried to explain it to her, so she ignored it. "When Marjorie and the children were killed, your mind broke from the strain. You were physically in excellent shape, so your body survived the trauma. But after you took revenge for their deaths, you went uncontrollably wild and weren't able to tell the difference between friends and enemies."

"I was trained to be a killing machine," he said in a dull voice.

She nodded. "And you became one." They sighed in unison. Keri would have laughed at any other time. "They used some kind of tranquilizer on you then blocked your memories of your mate and children, both the good memories and the memory of their death."

"Then if I am desperately ill, let me pass. I have nothing to live for," he told her.

"No, Lewis. I can't do that. Very recently you took a new bond mate."

"That is not possible."

"Yes it is. I know it is, because I am that bond mate."

Lewis stared at the woman who had made the incredible claim. "You? Why would I bond with a sapiens?" he asked. "Oh, excuse me, one of the partially-adapted." He snorted. The female looked stricken. Tears were sliding down her cheeks. He sighed. "I didn't mean to offend you…to hurt you," he amended. "I just cannot see it happening." That didn't help. If anything she looked even more pained.

"Look, I know I'm not up to your standards, I can't help that. But you _did_ bond with me, and if you look for it, you'll see that it's true."

There was something…Lewis shuddered. He _was_ bonded to this female…and that meant…"Marjorie!" he yelled.

"Oh god, Lewis, don't do this…"

This couldn't be happening, he thought. It was all lies. Marjorie and his children were fine; he had seen them all, just moments ago. He had to get away from this woman…this…

... ...

Lewis broke and ran. Keri stood and began to follow him, cursing vehemently. As she ran after him, snow began to fall…first a few gentle flakes, then in a blizzard. The ground was covered in an impossibly short time. Keri didn't feel the cold but the snow was making running awkward. Suddenly Lewis' footprints stopped. They were replaced by tracks made by cross-country skis. Keri smiled grimly. He'd made a mistake…unless he knew…but that would mean he wanted her to catch him. Either way, things were looking up.

She visualized her favorite pair of ATOMIC skis, the ones she had used to make the Northeast Region biathlon team. They were there instantly and she strapped her suddenly booted feet into them and shoved off. Nordic skiing was one of the few sports she truly enjoyed…though she'd have enjoyed it a lot more if it didn't involve cold weather. Skiing cross-country was incredible. She especially loved ski touring, breaking her own trail, but was glad that Lewis had imagined a groomed one. It would make it that much easier for her to catch him. His sheer strength would have given him the advantage otherwise. Her skill would allow her to move with more fluid power, adjusting her speed and technique to the terrain and her competition quality skis were designed to be used both for the skating and classic techniques. Keri grinned as she pulled the snow goggles she had just imagined into place. She'd be able to use a lot of the former on this trail.

Lewis had resorted to imagining a downhill slope to pick up speed. She had crested the hill already at a good glide and knew she could make up time. He was using an alpine technique on the slight descent that would not do anything for his pace. Keri curved down the hill in an arc that would cross his path before they reached the bottom. He was looking older already. That had to mean that he had accepted the truth, he just wasn't ready to deal with it. As she looked at the seemingly endless expanse of snow before them, Keri decided to gamble on his feelings for her. She purposely allowed herself to begin teetering as she almost rode the edges of the skis, and as she crossed in front of him, aimed for a slight rise in the packed snow. Keri screamed as she tumbled crazily; end over end, wondering a bit late whether any bones she broke here would also break in her physical body.

"Keri!" Lewis shouted, using a rather awkward snowplow turn to stop his progress. He dropped and unfastened the skis, then struggled through the snow to her side. Her limbs were tangled and one ski was snapped completely in two, despite the material being resistant to breakage. He carefully tossed the skis and the poles aside and straightened her out on the snow.

Her eyes fluttered; then opened slowly. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I think so," she said with a frown. "Yeah, I'm okay. Everything hurts though."

"No wonder, after such a foolish stunt." He smoothed back the stray curls that dangled in her face. "Can you sit up?"

"Sure." The woman grimaced as she moved. He slid his hands beneath her and supported her back as she sat. She sighed as he gathered her into his lap and held her against his chest. The snow was fading away and becoming the lush grass and trees that surrounded his Colorado home.

"Why did you do such a thing, Keri?" he demanded. She was giving him an odd look.

"To stop you from leaving me again. I can't live without you, you know."

"You had no right to risk yourself in such a way. Keri, I…" he paused. "Answer me one question, if you can without becoming offended."

"What?"

Shaking his head, Lewis asked, "How did I manage to seal a bond with a woman with such a frivolous name?" He stared at her as she began to laugh.

"Oh, Lewis." She continued to giggle then erupted into a fit of coughing. Finally she subsided. "You couldn't," she admitted.

"But you said that you were my bond mate, and I feel that it's true…"

"Yes, but you don't call me Keri. You've always thought that it was impossibly frivolous. You use my full name…"

"Keridwen," he whispered.

"Yes," Keri agreed. He was looking like himself now. Every groove and frown line in place. "Oh Lewis. I'm so sorry."

"And well you should be. If you had died here, it would have been permanent," he scolded.

"_That_ is not what I meant."

"I know." His eyes dropped. "They're gone, aren't they? My wife and children are dead…how many years now?"

"Twenty-three."

"And I held them in my arms this morning." Keri couldn't hold it back; tears began streaming down her cheeks. "Ah, my own. Do not cry. They are still here for me."

"I know."

He frowned at her and brushed away the wetness. "I don't understand."

"Do you remember recovering the memories of their death yet?"

"No. Not really."

Keri sighed. "Lewis, do you understand that you are only one part of yourself, and that to be whole you have to leave this place and integrate yourself with all of your other memories?"

"I can see how that might be so."

"You don't want to leave, do you?" she asked sadly.

"Do I have a choice?"

Pain knifed through her. Of course he didn't want to leave his perfect memories of his perfect mate…no, she corrected herself, his perfect wife, and his perfect family. All that he had outside was Keri and a hell of a lot of trouble. "You made a choice," she said, struggling to push down the bitterness. "You left me. You shut down your physical self and retreated. I can't blame you, I guess. There's nothing I can offer you that you don't already have here…well, nothing positive."

"But you are my mate now. Since I either initiated or accepted a bond with you, then I have a responsibility to you. I will not fail my mate."

"Lewis, I don't want your sense of responsibility."

He stood and lifted her to her feet. "I do not know you here. Perhaps in the place and time that I do know you, it's much more than that." He sighed. "Let's find out, shall we? I cannot live in the past now that I know the truth."

Keri bit her bottom lip. Yes, it was time to find out. To find out if their bond would even exist once all of Lewis' memories were restored. Carla had been speculating on that with Alexa the last time they had gone through this. She nodded and led the way back to the stark white door. She opened the door and turned to tell Lewis to step through. He was gone! Panic gripped her and she scanned the forest.

"Keridwen." His voice came from behind her…on the other side of the door. Lewis held out his hands to her. She ran out of the door and threw herself into his arms. His rich chuckle filled her ears as he enfolded her in his embrace. "I'm glad to see you, too," he said.

Keridwen looked up at him. "Do you…"

"Remember?" he asked. "Yes. All of it." His eyes closed as a wave of pain ran through him. "Thank you, cherished," he whispered.

"It hurts," she stated more than asked.

"A little. Not nearly as much as it did." He smiled as he stroked her tangled hair.

"I can't replace what you've lost," she said. He could feel disappointment, sadness, regret, and…shame through the bond.

"My own, you need replace nothing. You are my mate and that is enough."

"But I'm not like her. She was…perfect."

"Keridwen…"

"I bet she never argued with you in public," Keridwen said bitterly.

"You are right."

"I knew it," she sighed. "I'm sorry, I try…"

"No," he interrupted, and covered her mouth with his fingers when she started to talk again. "Do not try." Lewis sighed. "My own, you are an alpha personality, a leader and a rebel. It is in your nature to lead or to question those who do lead. Marjorie was perfect in many ways, but alpha she was not."

"But isn't that a good thing in a mate? One being a leader and the other being a follower?"

"At times. Sometimes it was irritating. She rarely ventured an opinion, and I can't help thinking that if she had been more forceful in nature, that perhaps the children, at least, might have survived."

"Oh, Lewis, no. Don't shift the blame onto her. If you have to blame someone, my grandfather should be it."

"I'm not blaming anyone…well, besides your grandfather and his cronies. Your worry about not measuring up is…" Lewis covered her mouth again as she began to protest. "Yes, I can feel that. Your concern had me comparing the two of you, and I suddenly pictured you in that situation, alone, with only your wits as weapons with which to defend your children." His arms tightened around her. "Marjorie froze. Like a deer in the headlights of a car, and the soldiers gunned her down. You would have acted. I can imagine you giving the soldiers the dressing down of their lives, having them on their knees in shame for having brought weapons into your children's presence."

"I would have been angry enough to throw myself on them and try to distract them at least, I think."

"Yes, and that is the difference. You are not a passive person, cherished. And for that I am grateful." He tilted her chin up and kissed her, gently at first, and then with rising desire. She moaned into his mouth and pressed her body against him. "Let's get back, hmm? We'll enjoy this much more in the physical world, I think."

She chuckled. "I'm certain of it."

"There is something else that I am certain of," he told her.

"What?"

"I love you, Keridwen," he said aloud.


	17. Chapter 17

"I love you, Keridwen," Lewis said as his eyes snapped open. He checked on his now sleeping mate and then glanced around the room. His two top chameleons were staring at him, their mouths hanging open. He narrowed his eyes marginally; it was enough to back them up across the room. "Yes?" he asked. You have a problem?"

Tom and Alexa looked at each other, then at him. Tom shrugged. "Not really, Lewis. Welcome back."

"Thank you," he said dryly. The challenge in his gaze froze Dr. Richard as she moved in with her scanning equipment.

"Your body has been under a great deal of stress, Lewis. I need to check you over," she explained.

"I am quite well now. It is not necessary."

"Lewis," Keridwen whispered sleepily as she snuggled into his side.

"Hmm?"

"Let Carla check. Humor me, okay?" Her head lifted slightly as she blinked at the doctor. "How long?" she asked.

"About twenty-seven hours. We were worried."

"Hmm, I'll bet. I _thought _we were skiing for an awfully long time…and there were _so_ many doors. Please Lewis, let her check you over…and then me too."

"Very well, cherished." Lewis looked up at the doctor. "You may continue."

Keri watched with a half smile as Carla checked Lewis' vitals and reflexes. The tension and worry slowly drained out of the doctor's body and expression. By the time she had finished, Carla was actually smiling. "Excellent. A little dehydration, but nothing serious."

"As I expected," Lewis said smugly.

"Be nice," Keri chuckled, squeezing his arm. "Besides, it's better to know than to expect. She looked up as a long shadow fell over her. Dr. Tate was hovering with his equipment. "Hi!" she said brightly. "My turn?"

"Yep. This will only take a minute," Ed told her.

Keri smiled then looked over at Lewis as she felt a sharp flash of hostility. The doctor took a sudden step back; his eyes widening at her mate's rather deadly expression. Keri started to giggle as she read Lewis' mood. "It's okay; he won't bother you so long as you stick to doctor stuff. He's being a bit possessive, is all."

"Uh huh. Um, Carla, maybe you should handle this?"

"Lewis?" Carla asked. "Do you have a problem with Dr. Tate? I'd rather have a sapiens doctor examine her; they are more familiar with her physiology than I am."

"I have no problem with Dr. Tate," Lewis sighed. "My apologies, doctor. I am still adjusting."

That caught Keri's attention. "Adjusting to what?" she asked.

"To being myself again. There is so much more…input…no. That's not it." He looked confused…and felt it as well.

Keri smiled and squeezed his hand. "Maybe you're processing things at a different level now," she suggested.

Lewis nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I think you're right. We're all products of our experiences, and I suddenly have a great deal more experience coloring my perception of things. You should have studied psychology, my own."

Keri coughed. Mark and a few of his people were staring. No doubt Lewis would be able to feel their confusion. It was time to 'fess up' as it were. "Um, Lewis, I did study psychology."

"Then why did you not go for a degree in that?"

"I did. I picked up a Ph.D. in Parapsychology in 1990."

"You never told me this."

She shrugged. "You never asked."

"Hmm, anything else that I should know, my mate?"

"Well, I have an additional Masters that I got in 1985."

"The major?"

Squirming a bit, she muttered, "Genetics."

Lewis sat up and settled himself cross-legged on the bed. A few gasps reminded him that not only did they have quite an audience…it seemed that half the population of the facility was there, but that he was naked. He belatedly wrapped a sheet around his waist. Keridwen was dressed, comparatively. She was still wearing the burgundy teddy he had dressed her in the night…no, two nights before, but at some point she had added a somewhat modest robe.

"Did my rooms become a public area while I was unconscious?" he asked facetiously.

"They were concerned, Lewis," Carla told him.

"How…touching. Everyone but the chameleons may leave." Lewis had phrased it as a suggestion, but his tone made it quite clear it was an order.

"We were concerned about Keri, not you," Anja informed him from where she had been settled on the chaise.

Lewis glared at her, but the effect was ruined by his mate's chuckle. "You did set yourself up for that," she said mildly when he raised an eyebrow in her direction.

He sighed and leaned down to nuzzle her cheek. "So I did." Almost everyone had left, but Anja was still in the chaise, arguing with Mark. He'd deal with them in a moment. "Why was Keridwen never a target?" he asked Alexa and Tom. Keridwen shivered at the idea. He took her hands in his.

"Because she was already claimed by the breeding program?" Alexa guessed.

"No. We've targeted those the breeding program was interested in before," Tom countered. "Besides, she had those degrees for years before they took notice of her."

"Maybe they were afraid of what my grandfather would do?" his mate suggested as she slid out of the bed and headed for the bathroom.

Lewis snorted. "Doubtful. It's more likely faulty research." He frowned at that idea. His people were responsible for providing that type of information to the council. He looked up at Alexa and Tom. "Check on it." Tom opened his mouth to protest, but Alexa poked him in the back and motioned him out of the room.

Mark and Anja were still in the room. Mark stood stony-faced by the chaise. Anja was sulking. "Why are you still here?" he asked them.

"I have a right to be here," Anja claimed.

"Really? What gives you that right, child?" Anja winced but he knew that she could not really complain. She was young enough to be his grandchild, let alone his child.

"I've adopted Keri as my surrogate-sib," she announced, rather haughtily in Lewis' opinion.

"I see. And did you explain to her what that meant?"

Anja squirmed slightly. "Ah, no, but she…when…in the van…"

"Did you even inform her of her new status?"

"No," Anja admitted sullenly.

"Out. Now." He crossed his arms and watched as Mark carefully lifted the injured girl and carried her from the room.

Carla still stood at the door. "Call if you need anything. Get some fluids into you at least…and I'd prefer it if you had a meal sent up."

"Thank you, doctor, I think we can manage," Lewis said.

She frowned. "Try to get some rest," she told him and closed the door.

... ...

"Alexa, I am not his protégé anymore, I won't…"

"Tom, shut up." Tom gawked at her like an adolescent. "Humor him. He's dealing with a total upheaval of all that he's known for over two decades. If we play our cards right, we might be able to convince him to support coexistence, or at the very least, we can permanently remove him from the game…get him to retire I mean," she added hastily at Tom's look of alarm.

"We won't get a better chance, that's true," Tom agreed. "But why does he want Keri to have been a target?"

Alexa stared at him. "Tom, are you sure you didn't take any damage during your stay with the sapiens?" she asked. "Lewis doesn't want her to have been a target. He wants to ensure that she _isn't_ a target that he was not made aware of."

"Oh." He shook his head. "I'm definitely out of practice."

"Maybe not," she decided. "Perhaps you've just adjusted too well to seeing Lewis as an enemy to protect your friends from that you're having difficulty in crediting him with a more peaceful or defensive motive?"

"Yes. That feels right."

... ...

Lewis rolled off the bed and locked the door behind Carla. "Finally," he muttered. After taking his own trip to the bathroom he stopped halfway back to the bed. Keridwen was staring at him with a particularly odd expression. Her eyes were narrowed and her lips were stretched in a wide grin. "Yes?" he asked.

The grin relaxed into a smile. "Have I told you recently how gorgeous you are?"

"Hmm. No, not recently."

"Well, you are. Damned gorgeous." She waited until he reached the bed to continue. "And I love you." Lewis chuckled at her sunny confession and climbed over her, kissing the tip of her nose in the process. She melted happily into his embrace and tucked her face into his neck.

"Keridwen." She pulled back to look at him, frowning at his sudden seriousness. "I didn't understand what that meant before. I thought that I did, and I was honored by the depth of your feelings." He stroked her cheek, smiling as she kissed his palm. "But I was able to see our feelings side by side while we were within my psyche." Lewis shook his head. "They were no different in depth, in substance. I never thought I was capable of a sapiens emotion, but I love you, Keridwen."

"Thank you. I guess you know how happy that makes me."

"Yes."

She sighed and buried her face in his neck again. He frowned as he felt her hot wet tears against his skin. "Crying, my mate? Why?"

Keridwen chuckled. "Believe it or not, we cry for joy sometimes."

"Hmm. I'd heard that, but never saw it before." She lifted her face. Tears stained her cheeks but her bright eyes were shining with happiness. "It's beautiful," he whispered.

She settled against him as he stroked her hair, untangling the wine-dark curls. He untied the satin ribbons that fastened the teddy and pushed it aside to expose her full breasts.

"Have I told you how beautiful _you_ are?" he asked.

"Not lately."

Lewis chuckled. "You are very beautiful, my own. I am so proud that you are my mate." He brushed away another tear from her eyes then leaned forward to rub his unshaven jaw against the silky skin and across the nipple of one breast. The peak began to harden at the irritation, and he took it gently into his mouth, licking and suckling until it was swollen and she was moaning with pleasure.

"God, Lewis, you know I love that."

"Do you? I hadn't noticed," he teased as he moved to the other breast. That nipple was soon distended as well and he pulled the thong panties from her hips as they lifted for his touch. He trailed kisses down her abdomen, careful to avoid overly irritating her skin with his stubble.

Her legs had parted for him, and he accepted the silent invitation, burying his face in the dark nether curls. The careful attention paid to her breasts had ensured that she was wet and ready for him. He played idly, stroking and pinching her clitoris, occasionally leaning down and flicking it with his tongue, and dipping the middle and index fingers of his other hand teasingly into the dampness of her vaginal canal and pressing around its rim.

She moaned at each mock penetration, lifting her hips to follow his fingers. "God, Lewis, please! I need you so much," she begged.

He turned and covered her body with his own. "Not so much as I need you," he told her as he moved into place and entered her.

Lewis groaned as the familiar heat and pressure surrounded his cock. Her wet warmth welcomed him as it resisted his entry and just as pleasingly resisted his withdrawal. The scent of their joint arousal filled his nostrils…hot and heady.

Keridwen's back arched when he finally sheathed himself fully within her, holding himself there for a moment before picking up the rhythm of his invasion. Her breath hissed in as he plunged deep within her once again.

She was panting now, her face contorted as her canal stretched to accommodate his girth. He let himself drop fully into the bond; then gasped at the shared sensation of simultaneously being stretched and squeezed beyond imagining.

Her shriek at the sudden sensory input urged him on; he pounded into her, reveling in each gasp, groaning as he felt the rough entry against the walls of her/their canal and the sweet clinging of her/their flesh to his/their penis at the same time. He knew that she/they were straining toward the edge…just a little bit more would take them over…

... ...

Keri shrieked as the bond fully opened and she felt the exquisite sensations from both points of view. She was so close to orgasm, and so was he…it wouldn't take much.

She screamed as his teeth suddenly closed on one hard nipple. Her back arched and she convulsed wildly as the pleasure overwhelmed her. His/their hot seed virtually exploded in her/their womb and she sobbed with the beauty of it.

Lewis continued to come inside her for what seemed like forever. His triumph poured through her, and she knew that he felt her joy and welcome. He caught himself before he fully collapsed on top of her. Leaning on his elbows, he covered her face with tender kisses. "I love you, my Keridwen. My incredible mate."

"I love you, too," she whispered.

Keri was still smiling after he had gathered her into his arms and had fallen asleep, one hand possessively cupping a breast. He loved her. She knew it was true Her smile grew. It wasn't a soft love, even though he had shown a great deal of tenderness. No, this wasn't a poet's idea of love. It was hot, fierce and demanding. And it was hers.

... ...

Mark frowned at Anja's stubborn expression. "How could you make such a claim when you hadn't even discussed it with the woman?"

"I didn't think I had to. You saw how she held me and comforted me and cared for me. Only one willing to be a sib would do that."

"Keri is a sapiens…"

"Not _really_!"

"She was raised as one; she does not know our culture or our customs." Mark sighed. "Anja, I know that you have missed your sibs greatly. Even though such ties are broken for arbiters, we still know their importance."

"Arbiters don't have nesting?" Anja asked, her eyes widening.

"No. We are separated from our families. It helps with the training to become totally neutral."

"Well, I'm not neutral."

"No, Anja, you are most decidedly not." He slipped into the bed beside her and carefully held her close. "I don't know what I'm going to do about you."

"Take care of me, _personally_," she said. "You promised."

"I know what I promised," Mark told her. He stroked her hair soothingly until she slept. Yes, he knew what he had promised, but that did not make it right.

"Lewis, what were Mark and Anja arguing about, do you know?" Keridwen asked as she lazed back against him in the tub.

He frowned as he shampooed her hair. He hadn't planned to bring it up before having a serious talk with Anja, but he wouldn't lie to his mate. "Anja claimed to have adopted you as a surrogate birth-sib."

"What's that?"

"Our point exactly, she hadn't explained it to you before making the claim."

"Lewis…" he could hear exasperation creeping into her voice.

"You know that our women have four uteri, yes?" She nodded. "The majority of the time, all four are fertilized. The fetuses grow together, separated by the walls of each uterus, but united because of our abilities. The ties between birth-sibs are greater than that with their mother."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense."

"These ties continue, usually into adulthood. Your connection with your birth-sibs gives you a place to come to find total acceptance, unconditional support, and comfort. Everything needed to be psychologically healthy with the demands put on our society."

"So what does this have to do with me?" she asked.

"Well, sometimes the other birth-sibs don't survive infancy, or like in Anja's case, they are killed at some point before they have been replaced by other ties. The survivor no longer has that _home_ to retreat to in times of need. They can become dysfunctional."

"Like Anja with her anger all the time?"

"Yes. We encourage those individuals to find others like themselves that they can trust and become close to. When they do, they adopt that person as a surrogate birth-sib."

"Oh, so Anja trusts me and feels close to me. Oh, that's sweet," Keridwen said. "But…"

"I think it was the trip back from Salinas that did it. The way you were holding her and comforting her in her time of need…"

"Ah. Well the poor thing was hurting so badly, and they wouldn't give her anything for the pain…and my healing doesn't do much of anything for it."

"Not wouldn't, couldn't. Most pain relievers beyond aspirin play havoc with our nervous system. That's one reason we train in physical self-control so rigorously."

"Damn, I'm glad I don't have that adaptation. I'm a total baby about pain." Keridwen frowned thoughtfully. "I don't understand what the big deal is, why you and Mark were angry with her."

Lewis sighed as he picked up the shower hose and began to rinse away the shampoo. "We are angry because she decided that you would take on what amounts to a lifetime obligation without so much as asking your leave…or mine. And yes," he told her as she started to comment. "It does affect me. As a surrogate sib you would be obliged to provide Anja with whatever support she might need. She's suffered a great deal in her young life…and I don't particularly wish to share you to the extent she might need you. Now hold your breath," he said as he rinsed the front section of her hair.

Keridwen sputtered as the water flowed over her face. "You didn't hold your breath," Lewis scolded mildly.

"I did, but it got up my nose," she said when she could breathe again. "You know, I don't think it would be all that bad. Anja's a lot stronger and more self-contained than you think."

Lewis sighed and rested his chin on her shoulder. "You're going to be unreasonable about this aren't you?"

"Now when am I ever unreasonable?"

... ...

Keri yawned as they descended to the ground floor. They hadn't slept much, not that she was going to complain about it. She blushed as Lewis chuckled at her. Mark had sent breakfast to their rooms, with a rather pointed invitation for them to join a planning meeting at 10:00. She wasn't going to complain about that, either. They'd had a good eighteen hours of privacy. Time enough to talk, sleep a bit, and…do other things. Lewis opened the doors to the study for her, and waited as she entered. He was so much more attentive now…and it was genuine attentiveness, not arrogance or fear for her safety. Keri wasn't sure if this new attitude would last long, but she was going to enjoy it while it did.

"So good of you to join us," Walter Attwood said dryly as they walked in.

Keri checked the clock; they were more than fifteen minutes late. Her fault, Lewis had been ready at least a half-hour early and was sitting in the chaise waiting for her to finish dressing. She hadn't been able to resist dropping into his lap for a last kiss that had…turned into something else. She blushed again. "Sarcasm suits you doctor," Lewis told Walter as he handed her into a chair. "My apologies for keeping you waiting."

"Oh, we weren't waiting for you. We needed Keri here."

She bit her lip at the feeling of consternation that rippled through Lewis. "I see," he said, his tone icy. He left her at the table and seated himself in an armchair next to the French doors that led to a raised patio…almost a balcony though it was on the first floor. He gazed out at the late morning sun. Keri sighed. Lewis was being childish and he knew it.

The others at the table watched silently. Tom and Alexa exchanged glances. Mark looked tired and favored Walter with a very disapproving frown. Keri got up and walked over to Lewis.

"Aren't you going to support your mate?" she asked quietly.

"I'm not really a part of this, my own."

"I need you. And regardless of Walter's insinuation, they need you too. You know that." Keri left her plea for him to grow up unspoken. She knew that he could feel it through the bond, and that was enough.

"Is this meeting to discuss your coexistence plans?" Lewis asked the others. "If so, I do not belong here at all."

"No," Walter admitted. "We need to discuss security concerns having to do with the Ashton family."

Lewis stood, his eyes narrowing. "Very well, then it is my concern." Keri suppressed another sigh as they both sat down at the table.

... ...

"As Lewis had suggested, we were checking into why Keri was never assigned to us as a target," Tom began. "First we did some digging within and ensured that she was not targeted by anyone but the breeding program. Interestingly enough, they went after her based on a demonstration of her healing ability back in 1995. They had no idea of her fields of study."

"And why not? We provide them with research material as well," his former mentor asked.

"Yes, but it wasn't in our records either, and not because of sloppy research. There is no public record of anything beyond her bachelor's degree and her Law studies."

"What? That's ridiculous," Keri said. "The Masters and Ph.D. in Parapsychology are from Colombia and the Masters in Genetics is from UH Manoa."

"There is nothing." Tom held up a hand to stop her as she began to protest again. "We believe you. Evidently the records were altered at some point. While we couldn't determine exactly who did the actual alteration of the records, we believe were able to find out why the Ph.D. records are missing."

Alexa had done the research; she took over from him. "On June 17th, 1990, a donation in the amount of one million dollars was made to the general fund at Colombia University by Senator Grant Ashton."

"Why would he _do_ that?" Keri asked.

"Your grandfather knew it would make you a target. In his own way, Keri, he was protecting you," Walter told her.

"This is too much. He has really gone too far," Keri said.

"Did you know that he also is the chairman of the congressional committee that funds Danielle's operation?" Tom asked.

"No. But that doesn't surprise me. Oh god."

Walter looked up. "Now, my sources have told me that all authorization for that operation has been pulled and the remaining personnel transferred. Evidently the fatality rate over the past few weeks got someone's attention."

"That won't stop her," Keri sighed. "She's fanatical about the whole thing. So is grandfather."

"Yes," Walter agreed. "What's more, your grandfather is in town."

... ...

That caught his attention. "Perhaps we need to deal with this threat at the source," Lewis suggested.

"What do you mean?" Mark asked.

"If Senator Ashton is the power behind the push for a war with our people, then we need to…" he broke off as Keridwen's anxiety level spiked. Lewis sighed and turned to her. "My own, we cannot ignore this. I know they are your family, but…"

"I know," she whispered. "Can't we at least try to talk to him first? I…I have to know that there's really no other way. Please."

"It's too risky."

"If he visits Dani at home it wouldn't be. Most of her security was part of her operation. We'd only have his personal security to deal with."

He looked at Tom, Alexa, and Mark.

"We can at least look into the possibility," Alexa offered.

"I'll notify my people in LA and have them check it out," Mark said.

"Thank you." He turned back to Keridwen. "Once we have a full report we will discuss it. I can promise you nothing more."

"I know. Thank you."

"You know I don't wish to…"

"Yes." She smiled and squeezed his hand.


	18. Chapter 18

Anja was bored. She was 'allowed' to get out of bed to use the bathroom and that was it. Even then she had to use crutches and not put any weight on her left leg. She'd read all of the technical manuals and high performance vehicle magazines that Mark had bought for her…twice.

She sighed. He wasn't spending much time with her, either. It was true he had much to attend to, but he had promised to take care of her…and that didn't mean making sure she had food and reading material. He hadn't even seriously kissed her yet! Kept saying he didn't want to jar her hip. Ha!

The bed bounced as she slammed her hand down on it and she winced. Okay, she thought. Maybe he did have a slight point there, but it was still a lame excuse. She had the distinct feeling he was trying to avoid the issue permanently even though he had her staying in his room.

"MEN!" she grumbled. Nothing but lies and trouble. Anja chuckled. And pleasure. That was something they were good for. Though she had to admit that Mark didn't lie like most men. He was, all in all, quite honorable.

Too honorable, that was his problem. If only she could get out of the damned bed…but no. The damage was severe enough that if she rushed her recovery she could cripple herself. "You wait until I'm mobile, Mark Ward. You _will_ give me what you promised," Anja muttered.

Someone tapped on the door. Anja concentrated to get past the pain and 'see' who was out there. "Come in, Keri."

Keri opened the door. "Hi, you up for some company?"

"Just you, ja?" she asked

"Yes, just me."

"Sure."

Anja waited as Keri came in and pulled a chair over to the side of the bed. "You like car stuff, huh?" Keri asked.

"Anything that moves fast." Anja stared at the sapiens woman. She couldn't read her. That wasn't her specialty, but it wasn't like she had all that weak of a gift. Not near Mark's level, but she was much better than James and some others.

"I was talking to Lewis yesterday," Keri began.

"Hope you did a lot more than just talk to _that_ one."

Keri blushed. "Ah, yes. But we talked, too."

"That's okay, then," Anja allowed.

"Ahem. Well. Ah, we talked about what you were…um, saying about declaring me a surrogate birth-sib."

Anja flushed. Keri was here to put her down gently. That would be a Keri kind of thing, try to not hurt someone. Mark and Lewis had both told her she had made too much of nothing.

"I've got to tell you that I'm, well, honored that you would think of me that way."

Yep, definitely trying to put her down easy. Anja suppressed a sigh.

"Lewis explained the concept to me. Eventually in great detail," she smiled. "After he decided I was going to be _unreasonable_ about it."

"Look, I'm sorry. I should not have made presumption. You are a caring person to all, I see that now," Anja told her.

Keri chuckled. "Yeah, well, I try to be. Anyway, what I wanted to say was that if you're still interested, ah, I think I'd like to be your surrogate sib. I've never had a sister."

"Really?"

"Yeah, only a cousin," Keri said with a straight face.

Anja frowned. "You are teasing, yes?"

"Yes, I'm teasing. Really, I'd like to have you as a sister."

"You would…he told you of nesting…ah…yes?"

"Yes. It's just kind of cuddling together, right? Platonic family snuggling for emotional support?"

"Ja, nesting is that. That okay, yes?" Anja asked hopefully.

"Yes, that's okay," Keri said as she reached out and squeezed her hand.

"Good! Thank you."

Keri smiled. "You're very welcome. But this goes both ways, remember. Sometimes I'm going to need my sister to help me when I'm feeling bad."

"Sure, but you're Lewis' mate. When you gonna feel bad?"

"Trust me, Anja. He has his bad points."

"Hmm. Yes. Called me child."

"Hasn't tried to pull that one with me yet," Keri said. "But he can be a pain anyway. Though I've got to admit, he's been much better now that he has all his memories back."

"Was he really dying?"

"Yeah," Keri whispered. "He really was. Scared the hell out of me."

Anja bit her lip. "Maybe we could nest now?" she asked.

"Good idea."

... ...

Good a place as any, Ed thought as he spread out the blanket and pulled off his T-shirt. He sighed as he dropped down and began smoothing Hawaiian Tropic oil over his torso, legs, and arms.

He sighed again as he stretched out. There was literally nothing for him to do at the moment. Mark was gathering equipment and supplies for a new lab, but that could take a while. Besides which, they might not have a place to put it.

This property belonged to Lewis, and even though they had kind of co-opted it from him, Mark wasn't inclined to fight him for it. Lewis hadn't thrown them out yet, but it was only a matter of time. He sure as hell didn't want them here.

Ed frowned as a shadow fell over him. "Hey, do you mind?" he asked the shadowed person who was cutting off his sun.

"Oh, sorry," a female voice said.

He peered up as she moved to the side. The young woman was dressed in faded jeans and a midriff top. Her long dark hair hung loose and reached her…oh my god. Ed barely managed to keep his jaw from dropping, as he looked down her body…her incredible body.

"Hey, are you one of them? You know…" she asked, gesturing toward the main house.

"The new species, you mean? Homo sapiens-dominant?"

"Yeah."

"Nope. Plain old homo sapiens here, why?"

"Mind if I sit down?"

"Uh, no. Go ahead." Ed watched appreciatively as she sat down and then stretched out on the other end of his blanket. The fact that she tugged her jeans further down her curvy hips and folded the top under her nicely rounded breasts to expose that tiny waist heightened that appreciation considerably. He let his head drop back and grinned. The day was looking up.

"My name's Amy. What's yours?" she asked.

"Ed, Ed Tate. I'm, uh, pleased to meet you Amy," he told her as he held out his hand.

She grasped then released it. A shy smile curved her lips. "How come you're here?" she asked.

"I was with the lab that Tom was working with."

"Tom? Oh, the cousin that had to be rescued." Amy sighed. "My dad's friend got killed helping them."

"Damn. I'm sorry," Ed told her.

She shrugged. "It was kind of his own fault. He did what dad told him specifically _not _to do. But Kurt hates…hated the spooks more than dad does, even."

"The spooks?"

"CIA."

"Ah. Is that what they are, the ones who had Tom?"

"Yeah. Kurt recognized the one guy and told my dad before he died. He was the one who ratted out his brother when his brother was trying to blow the whistle on them funding drug runners. Kurt's brother used to be a spook, you see. Then he disappeared. They probably offed him."

"That stinks."

"Sure does. Anyway, Kurt punched him out and the guy shot him."

"Damn." Ed frowned and looked at her. "You're with the bikers?"

"Yep."

"You don't look like a biker chick."

Amy laughed. "Thank you! Daddy will be happy to hear that. He keeps telling me to get off the road, that I don't belong in the life."

"Who's your dad?"

"Bear. He's the head of the vet's group out of Merced. You know, the big shaggy guy with the dog tags."

"Oh yeah. The one Lewis talks to a lot."

"Yeah. Guess I can get used to calling him Lewis. He said it's okay if folks know he was with them for a bit."

"That really weirds me out," Ed mused.

"What does?"

"Lewis hanging out with bikers. I mean, not that there's anything wrong with bikers, but he's really kind of snobby. You know, look at that house. That's the kind of place Tom says he always lives in."

"Wow. Nice." Amy shrugged. "Anyway, he was in 'nam with my dad. Well, not with him. He was a SEAL and dad was a Green Beret. But he saved my dad's life. You know if it weren't for Lewis, I would never have been born."

Ed smiled. "Hmm, that's one thing I can appreciate about Lewis, then."

... ...

Mark stopped short in front of his door. Keri was visiting. He hoped Anja wouldn't be too disappointed when Keri explained why she couldn't become her surrogate birth-sib.

He opened the door quietly and entered; stopping short again at the sight of Keri snuggled by Anja's side in his bed. The two females were holding each other's opposite hand and each had an arm around the other's shoulders in a typical sib nesting position. Lewis was going to be pissed. Mark backed out of the room and closed the door softly behind him.

... ...

Lewis frowned over the maps and blueprints of Danielle Ashton's home and grounds. The security was not all that good. Even when fully staffed there were too many vulnerabilities. One corner of his mouth turned up. And she was certainly no longer fully staffed. He really didn't want to risk his mate in this way. But he knew that if he eliminated the targets without allowing her to confront them it would eat at her for the rest of her life. With proper preparation and backup, the risk should be manageable… "Alexa, Tom? Any thoughts?" he asked.

"There's always a risk," Tom shrugged. "I wouldn't want to risk Sloan this way, but then, she wouldn't give me anymore choice than Keri is giving you."

"Make no mistake Tom. It _will_ be my choice. Keridwen will have to understand if I determine the risk is too great."

"If our estimates of the number of security personnel are proven correct, I think it's doable," Alexa spoke up. "And Lewis, I think you should prepare for a battle with your mate if you do _not_ agree to this."

"We've discussed it. If the risk is too great…"

"You'll need to _prove_ the risk is too great," Alexa interrupted. "She's as stubborn as you are. Look at what you went through when the council ordered Tom's termination. Were you wrong to take that much greater risk?"

Lewis grimaced and gave his daughter a sour look. "That remains to be seen. It certainly did not have the result I expected."

"Why am I glad of that?" Tom asked rhetorically.

"Lewis, I think we need to do this," Alexa told him.

"Damn it. I think you're right."

... ...

Caryn stretched on tiptoe to reach the copy of _The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Finca Vigia Edition_ that was on the top shelf. The library was obviously set up for a fairly tall person, even at five foot seven inches she could barely reach it, and she was on the top of the rolling library steps.

"Uh oh," she muttered as the thick volume slid out of her tenuous grip and headed for the floor. She tried to grab for it and began to teeter on the steps. "Oh!"

"Got it," a mellow voice told her. "Oh, and you!" he said as he steadied her with a hand around her waist.

"Thank you." Caryn shakily backed down the steps, grateful for the support. Jeff Garrett smiled at her and handed her the book.

"My pleasure, doctor."

"The top shelf is a bit high," she found herself babbling, lost in his blue-gray eyes.

"Yes, well, Lewis does tend to make things convenient for himself and ignores the needs of we lesser mortals," he agreed dryly. "Are you okay?"

"Fine. Thank you, really."

"You enjoy existentialism?" he asked.

"Not really. Well, not like Nietzche. I do like Hemmingway, though. His _Clean Well Lighted Place_ is one of my favorites."

"I liked _The Snows of Kilimanjaro _best, myself. Though I thoroughly enjoyed all of his work," Jeff told her. Caryn smiled as he took her elbow and guided her over to the reading nook. He was so incredibly handsome. A bit taller than Tom, with longer, blonder hair, and a few years older at least. But he had that same heart melting smile and those glorious eyes. And he appeared to be unattached. "Keri is going to talk to Lewis about allowing us to stay here. She thinks he'll agree. So it won't be long until we can have a lab set up for you and our other scientist guests to work in," he continued. "I imagine the past day or so must have been boring for you."

"I've appreciated the rest. David and I have been so on edge the past few weeks. Trying to find ways to delay the advanced testing…that's what they called it." She shuddered. "It's been very stressful. Always afraid they'd figure it out and…well…make us go away."

"Kill you, you mean." Jeff was frowning.

"Yes. I don't like to think about it that way, but that's what it amounted to," Caryn sighed.

She looked up as Jeff took her in his arms for a warm hug. Her insides melted, he had such gentle strength. "You're safe now," he told her. "We won't let anything happen to you."

... ...

Tom frowned as Sloan picked up and discarded the same research journal for the fifth time. Her agitation was growing, almost hourly, or so it seemed. "Sloan, would you please relax." He knew she was uptight about the amount of time he was spending with Lewis and Alexa, but her distress was getting out of hand.

"I can't relax. Tom, how can you know what he's doing to you? What if he's trying to program you again?"

"He isn't. They are undoing old programming. I can feel the difference, Sloan."

"You didn't know you had been programmed before."

"Didn't I? Just because I was doing what I'd been programmed to do doesn't mean that I wasn't aware of the programming."

"Oh. Then you knew you were programmed to kill me at the lab the last time?"

"Yes."

"Then why weren't you fighting it?"

Tom sighed. "Sloan, mission programming is a way of life for a chameleon. We expect it and we don't fight it."

"But you fought it before, in my apartment."

"No, I didn't fight it, it broke. It hadn't been reinforced, Lewis was certain of my loyalty. It allowed me to think for myself instead of follow the mission. That's not a good thing for a chameleon."

"What? It was a bad thing that you couldn't kill that boy, that you couldn't kill me?"

"Yes. Bad for my people, my mission." He smiled and pulled her into his arms. "But it was a _very_ good thing for me," he whispered, kissing her gently.

"Mmm." Sloan rested her head on his shoulder. "So how are they doing on the memory block?" she asked.

"Blocks, not block. There are at least two that Lewis has been able to identify. Two left, that is. He's removed the ones that he had set up."

"When is he going to remove the others?"

"He's not sure he can."

"Um, sorry if I'm a bit impatient here, but Tom…"

"I know. I'm frustrated too. Sloan, he's trying to find out who set up the other blocks. All that he's been able to determine so far is that they were done soon after the betrayal while he was still incapacitated. If he can discover who, he may be able to remove them himself."

"May? You mean he may not be able to?" Sloan asked; the strain showing in her voice.

"Sloan, every individual sets blocks in a certain way. If Lewis knows whom then he'll know how, so it shouldn't be a problem. But if for some reason he can't, he'll get whoever set them to remove them."

"And if they won't? Or what if they're dead?"

Tom sighed. Sloan's fear sliced through him. "Then we'll have to force it.

She shuddered in his arms. "The last time you tried to force memories, your heart stopped. I can't allow that. Tom…you died."

"I know. So did Lewis when his blocks were forced. But we're both still very much alive," he told her, nuzzling her ear and nibbling on the lobe.

She shuddered again, but this time he could feel that it had nothing to do with fear.

... ...

He was alone in the study, she noted. Keri walked up behind Lewis, draped herself across his shoulders and kissed his cheek. "Hi. Got a minute?"

She could see his mouth twitch. Lewis enjoyed what he called her 'inappropriate public displays of affection' though he never admitted it. He couldn't hide it from her, of course, but he put on an act in front of the others. It was bad for his image, he'd told her.

"For you? Always, my own." He pushed back from the desk and pulled her onto his lap. "What can I do for you…other than the obvious?" he purred into her ear as he nuzzled it.

Keri chuckled. "Well, you can do that too," she promised, making him smile. "But seriously. I wanted to talk about the people here."

He nodded. "It's gotten crowded. I'll deal with it as soon as we return from _visiting_ your family."

"We're going to go talk to them?"

"_You _are going to talk to them. I have nothing to say, or rather, nothing that you'd appreciate my saying."

She smiled. "That's what I meant. Um…thank you. I know you don't really want to do this. It means a lot to me."

"I know, cherished. And _you_ mean a lot to me." He stroked her hair. "While I don't believe there is any purpose in it, you will have your chance to face them. If for no other reason than your peace of mind, hmm?"

"Yes." Keri buried her nose in his neck. She loved his scent. It was so…so…Lewis. Maybe they had different pheromones than regular sapiens? Carla would know. Keri made a mental note to ask later.

"That's not what you wanted to speak with me about, is it?" he asked.

"No." She sat up suddenly, clipping his jaw with her forehead. "Ouch."

He brushed back the hair from her temple and chuckled. "Are you all right, my own?"

"Yes, I'm fine." She kissed his jaw.

"Mmm. Now what do you wish to ask?"

"The people here…I know I haven't known them that long, but…Lewis, they've become my friends…and more. I don't want you to make them leave."

Lewis groaned. "You went and did it, didn't you? You accepted Anja as your surrogate birth-sib."

"Well, yes. I told you that I was going to."

He sighed. "Yes, you did. But I'd hoped that once you faced a fully conscious Anja again, you'd realize it was _not_ a good idea and change your mind."

"Lewis!"

"Keridwen, I can barely have private time with my own mate in my own home. It's too much."

"Well, the bikers won't be staying long. Renee said that Bear is already talking about moving on."

"And the rest…cherished, I cannot accept coexistence. You must understand that. I've considered sapiens my enemies for most of my life. I cannot…"

"Lewis, how _can't_ you? _We_ coexist just fine."

"You are not fully sapiens."

"Yes, but you didn't know that when you bonded with me."

"Subconsciously, I'm certain that I recognized it."

"Oh, Lewis," she said sorrowfully. "It's not so black and white anymore. There's a lot more people like me out there. You've all said so."

"Keridwen…"

"_Please_. I understand if you don't want to help them. But can't they stay? You don't want Tom to leave, do you?"

"No," he admitted.

"Besides, your council still wants you dead, don't they? The last place they are going to look for you is in the middle of the coexistence faction."

"What am I going to do with you?" he asked rhetorically.

"Um, love me?"

"I already do that."

"Hmm. True." She grinned and snuggled in closer, kissing the corner of his mouth. "Ah, let's see…indulge me?"

Lewis sighed and pressed his cheek against her temple. "Very well, they may stay…for the time being," he cautioned as she grinned. "They will be responsible for all security and supplies. I will provide only the property. And they _will_ stay out of my way. Understood?"

"I'm sure they'll agree to that."

"And, they will provide you with a bodyguard so that you can go out safely after we clear up your family troubles."

"Oh, I'm sure Anja would go with me."

"Anja? No, she doesn't have the training."

"So why don't you train her? When she's recovered, that is."

"Why indeed." He shrugged. "Why not."


	19. Chapter 19

Lewis knew he was going to regret this. The others must be thinking that his mate could wrap him around her little finger. He sighed. Who was he kidding? She had. Ah well, at least she no longer argued about security matters with him.

He glanced down at where she was dozing, tucked in against his left side, and involuntarily smiled. Her wild curls had been tamed into a rather sedate bun, but the deep burgundy color had finally emerged from the remnants of the temporary dye job.

Things had settled down around the complex. The bikers were still there, though they planned to leave this weekend. Mark had taken to meeting with him regularly to explain his group's projected activities and make sure they would not disturb their host. Their current project, construction of a lab over the garage, did not disturb him, but it had relocated several of the faction's people to the main barracks building. That wasn't his problem. Anja and Keridwen were getting along well…so far. The younger female's mobility was still limited. Lewis doubted that the harmony would continue once Anja was up and about…but was willing to concede that he might be wrong. Both Keridwen and Anja had surprised him before.

He still did not think this visit to Keridwen's family was either necessary or a good idea. But his mate was pleased with him, and his chameleons were along for backup…and that was in addition to the other car that was transporting the soldiers that Mark had lent to the joint effort. They would deal with the Ashtons today…one way or another. Tom pulled over and parked a few hundred feet away from Danielle's front gate. Lewis watched as the other car passed the gate and drove around the corner. He nudged Keridwen awake and smiled as she worriedly twined and untwined her fingers through his. Finally the gates opened and James waved them in. Lewis nuzzled his mate's cheek reassuringly. Everything was going well.

They stopped to allow James to climb into the rear seat then continued to the house. Lewis spotted the other soldiers making their way swiftly through the grounds to sweep for unexpected security patrols. In deference to Keridwen, they were all carrying lancets coated with a powerful tranquilizer as well as hand weapons. Half of the soldiers arrived at the front door. They were dressed in dark slacks, white shirts, and conservative ties. Two carried copies of The Book of Mormon and pamphlets, the simple disguise should keep the door open and suspicions muted long enough for them to quietly take whoever answered the bell.

... ...

Keri peered out between James and Lewis' shoulders at the soldiers standing in front of the door. They were all wearing the typical ingratiating smiles used by the door to door missionaries they were pretending to be. She'd always thought there was something spooky about those people. Now she was sure of it. She heard the door swing open and an indistinct male voice address the soldiers. The soldier with the close cropped sandy hair responded jovially and reached out with a handful of pamphlets. Then he really moved. One of her grandfather's bodyguards was pulled out of the doorway. He was unconscious before he hit the ground and the soldier was signaling to James. Lewis tucked her hand in his arm in a courtly gesture suitable for one of the ambassadorial functions that Dani was so fond of attending and led her through the door. Keri looked up at him in time to catch his wink. She chuckled quietly as he shortened his stride to match hers.

... ...

Danielle ate with her left hand, showing no sign of awkwardness despite being primarily right-handed. The practice at eating using her left hand to hold the fork as Europeans did had finally proven useful – once her chef had cut her meat for her.

Her grandfather ate with little appetite. He had spent an hour bemoaning her missing cousin and had refused to believe that Keri had turned against them, despite the condition of her right wrist.

"Perhaps she was just trying to frighten you and missed, dear," he said.

"She didn't miss. She rarely misses, you know that."

"I don't see why she'd stop you from shooting her kidnapper…"

"How many times do I have to explain it to you? She wasn't kidnapped, coerced, or forced in any way to help that son of a bitch. She has betrayed us, betrayed you and all you've done for her!"

The old man sighed. "But Keri was always such a good girl. And the vision showed she was taken from us." Danielle smiled bitterly. _Keri_ was such a good girl. Keri, who had never done as her grandfather asked, who had dropped out of law school, who had refused point blank to even date most of the young men their grandfather had pushed on them, and who never would have taken up the fight to destroy the new species. _She_ was still the 'good girl'. "I suppose we'll never see her again," he mused.

"And wouldn't _that_ be a shame," Danielle grated between clenched teeth.

"Sorry to crash the party," Lewis said from the dining room doorway. "But our invitation seems to have gone astray in the mail." He allowed himself a small smile as Danielle Ashton's fork clattered on her plate and Agent Foster stood so suddenly that his chair crashed over backwards. He noted the presence of a bodyguard against the far wall…Tom and Alexa had appeared at the man's side and disarmed him before he could even reach for his weapon.

Senator Ashton simply stared at him, then calmly set down his silverware and folded his napkin. "Why aren't you dead?" he asked pleasantly. "You, specifically, were supposed to die."

Lewis blinked as the soldiers fanned out on either side of the table and relieved Foster of the 9mm Beretta 9000S in his shoulder holster and patted him down for any holdouts. James was in his place at Keridwen's back to protect her from any attacks from the rear.

"What do you mean he was specifically supposed to die?" Keridwen asked, moving up beside him. "Grandfather, what did you do?"

"Keri! You're all right, my dear? Thank God those animals haven't harmed you," the senator exclaimed.

"Oh, please," Danielle muttered.

"Cut the crap, Grandfather. You had to know I wasn't kidnapped."

The senator glared at her, obviously offended. "Let an old man retain some illusions, young lady," he huffed. "What I know and what I choose to believe…well. You are the last of my family. I will not have your association with these…creatures…taint that."

Keridwen sighed. "They aren't creatures and you know it. They aren't all that different from us…especially from our family."

"They are killers…murderers."

"And what do you think you are? Just because you didn't fire the weapons into all those innocent people yourself doesn't mean you're any less responsible."

Grant Ashton shook his head. "Oh, Keri. None of them were innocent. Don't you see? They killed your mother. My darling Elaine, gone forever…and her Peter, too."

"Only a few individuals are responsible for that. And Mom and Aunt Elizabeth, well, they weren't intentional. They just happened to be with Dad and Uncle Stan."

"Dead is dead. Intentional or not, my twins are dead. And they," he said, pointing at Lewis and the soldiers with a shaking hand, "are responsible! They must all pay for their crime!"

"What about _your_ crime? Who will pay for that besides the victims?"

Her voice was shaking. Lewis clenched his hands into fists to control the urge to comfort her. This was her battle; he would let her fight it.

... ...

"Grandfather, why did you do it? Why did you have all those people killed? It wouldn't have brought our family back…I…I can't believe it was just for revenge."

"Revenge? My dear, no, of course not. They didn't suffer enough for it to have been revenge. Look at what the grief did to your grandmother. No, you were in danger. I _saw_ it."

"What do you mean, you saw it? What did you _see_?" She had a terrible feeling about this.

"I saw him," her grandfather began, pointing at Lewis. "He took you away from me and destroyed what was left of our family."

Keri groaned.

"I knew then that they were all like that…destroyers. We needed to purge the world of them all. Elaine, I had to do it, I had to save you!"

"She's not Elaine, you old fool," Dani told him, folding her arms across her chest. Keri didn't have to _read_ anything more than her cousin's face to feel her disgust.

"I know that," he grumbled. "What do you think I am, senile?"

Biting her lip, Keri wondered when her grandfather had gone off the deep end. Was it when their parents were killed, or had he still been sane when he was asked to guarantee the safety of the species that was responsible for their death? She supposed it no longer mattered. "Grandfather…Poppie…" she said, hoping her childhood name for him would reach him. "Why didn't you tell me that you'd had a vision? You knew I had them. Maybe I could have helped you interpret it?"

"Nonsense, it was very clear. You were a child; anyway, what could you have told me?"

"I was sixteen. Hardly a child and I'd been having visions for almost a decade by that point," she told him crossly. "And I could have told you that most visions are self-fulfilling." She sighed as the old man set his jaw. There was no question where she and Dani's stubborn streaks came from.

Keri glanced back at Lewis. His face was set, and she could feel his concern for how she was taking the evidence of her grandfather's incapacity. She reached back for his hand and steadied herself with his strength as his fingers closed around hers.

"Poppie, do you understand that I went with Lewis willingly?" she asked.

He frowned. "I know that you did. I do not understand it."

"Okay. I don't know why, but something about him…touched me. Like no one ever has before, or ever will again."

"He's evil, Keri, you don't understand…"

"No!" She forced herself to calm down. "No. He's done a lot of terrible things. I know that, but not any more than any of our government's covert ops people and less than your own granddaughter has. Do you know what Dani is doing to them, Poppie? Do you know that she's experimenting on them, torturing them?"

"Keri, when we need information, well, terrible things sometimes happen."

She closed her eyes briefly, struggling to suppress tears. "They were doing experiments so unethical that we wouldn't allow real scientists to perform them on lab rats. Did you know?"

"I…I left such details to the scientists."

Keri bit her lip and nodded. "Plausible deniability?" she asked.

Her grandfather frowned, but didn't respond.

"Poppie…_you_ made the vision come true. Lewis was married, and was very happy with his wife and his children. His people would have become American citizens, they would have worked, paid taxes. They would have advanced our sciences, and very, very slowly, more and more of them would have been born as they intermarried with us."

"Keri…"

"Let me finish," she ordered. "But what you did…you killed his wife, his children…and thousands of his friends and relatives. You betrayed their trust. That's what they call it, you know – the great betrayal. If you hadn't done that, Lewis and I would never have met. He would never have taken me from you; he would never have had any reason to bring you down."

"You can't change the nature of the beast."

"Ah, but you can, and you _did_. You changed them all from a people that simply wanted to survive, to a people convinced that we couldn't be trusted, that we had to be destroyed to ensure their survival."

Dani snorted. Keri glared at her and she subsided.

"Poppie, the only reason Lewis is taking me away from you is because I love him, and he loves me, and we want to be together."

"Keri, dear, they aren't capable of love."

"They _are_. You saw it, you know you did. I read his memories; I saw your face that day." She set her own jaw and glared her grandfather down until she felt him accept it. "I love him, Poppie and I'm going to have his baby."

"You're pregnant?" Dani sputtered. "That's…that's disgusting!"

That was the last straw, Keri thought. "Dani, the only reason you find it disgusting is because it means that I had sex with a man," she said sweetly.

Her grandfather looked at Dani, then back at Keri. "What do you mean by that? What are you saying?" he asked.

"You didn't know? I didn't think she'd been all _that_ discrete at home. Poppie, Dani, ah…prefers women."

"Dear God, one daughter pregnant out of wedlock, the other a lesbian? What would your mother think?"

"Granddaughter, not daughter," Dani grated. "Old man, you have really lost it."

"Keri, you're going to have a baby?"

"Yes, Poppie. Lewis and I are going to have a baby." She waited for the yelling to really start.

"Oh, my dear child. Dani, did you hear that? Your sister is going to have a baby!"

"She's not my sister. And she's not having that bastard's baby if I can help it."

"Nonsense, child. I adopted both of you, so that makes you sisters. Ha. Thought I was losing it did you?"

... ...

Now Lewis was confused. Just when he thought the senator was hopelessly senile he'd make a statement that indicated he was not so far gone as it appeared. Keridwen was holding up well. His mate had a core of inner strength, one that she needed badly for this confrontation. "So when is the baby due, my dear?" Grant Ashton asked.

"I'm not sure. Not for quite a while, it's only been a couple of weeks."

The old man sighed. "Well, of course I'd have preferred you'd married a human. But a great-grandchild, that's not something one quibbles about."

Keridwen shifted uncomfortably. "Ah, Poppie? I haven't married anyone."

"Oh. No, of course you haven't, we'd have been able to find you if you had. Well, now that you're found, you can go ahead with it."

"No, Poppie," she said quietly. "Lewis' people don't generally get married."

Lewis frowned. He could feel his mate's sadness at the admission; he'd no idea that such a thing was important to her. Coming to a decision, Lewis moved up to her side and brought her fingers to his lips, kissing them gently. "Keridwen, I'd be honored if you would marry me," he told her.

"Oh, please. This just gets better and better," Danielle half snarled.

"Danielle Elaine Ashton, that is enough out of you," the senator told her. "I cannot allow you to continue…"

"No, you cannot allow me anything. You never could," she interrupted, her voice dripping with bitterness. "It was always Keri, wasn't it? Everything you did and everything you had me do. All of it was for Keri. I think I've had just about enough of _Keri_."

Lewis judged the distances, he would not be able to reach Danielle before she fired the Glock 36 she had produced and was aiming at his mate. But he could get between them.

"Dani, put that thing away. You will not harm your sister."

"Cousin," she snapped. "And I'll do what I damned well please."

Senator Ashton stepped in front of Keridwen. Lewis' eyebrows rose in surprise. "You'll have to shoot me first then."

"Get out of the way, old man. I don't care if you die."

Foster stared at Danielle in horror. "Ms. Ashton, he's a US Senator. You can't just shoot him…"

"Oh, can't I? It was an accident, there were intruders and they threatened us, I tried to shoot one and my grandfather was pulled into the line of fire by one of them," she said calmly.

Foster shook his head and looked at the senator's bodyguard who was still standing between Tom Daniels and a woman by the kitchen door. The other man shook his head as well. He would not corroborate the lie. "Don't do it," Foster begged. "It would be a Federal crime."

"Don't worry, young man, she won't kill me," the senator told him. "She needs me."

"I haven't needed you for years. I've got more support in the Senate than you do." She paused and smiled that cold little smile that Foster had learned to fear, and then laughed. "I really _don't _need you," she said, sounding surprised.

... ...

"God, no, Dani, don't do it. He's our grandfather. Please!" Keri begged.

Her cousin shrugged. "Move around him, then. Give me the target I really want."

"Danielle, put down the gun," their grandfather said sternly.

Keri shuddered as Dani laughed at him. They were both seriously cracked. How in hell had she missed that all these years? "Dani, please," she said; then screamed as she saw her cousin's finger close on the trigger and then heard the shot. "NO!"

She found herself behind the overturned sideboard with Lewis crouched over her, covering her body with his. Everything else seemed to be moving in slow motion…she looked up just as her grandfather hit the floor.

Dani was laughing wildly…Foster and the bodyguard were on her, taking the gun away, pushing her down into a chair and holding her there.

Keri's face was wet and her nose was stuffy from crying. Poppie was lying on the floor staring at her…blood dripping from a corner of his mouth and pooling out from under his chest. His hand reached out towards her, she couldn't quite reach him and Lewis was holding her tightly. She could feel her mate's fear for her. Keri sent reassurance to him and her need to move.

"I'm so proud of you, Keri…" Poppie whispered as her hand closed around his. "I saw you graduate…on film." He coughed up more blood. Keri bit back a sob. "Your records…I'm sorry. Tried to protect you. Look under your father's last name…and Elizabeth Ke…"

Lewis had noted that Tom and Alexa were backing up Foster and the bodyguard before allowing his mate to reach for her dying grandfather. He didn't move to give first aid; he could smell the old man's death in the air.

Keridwen began sobbing in earnest as her grandfather passed. He felt his throat constrict at the depth of her sorrow, but he wasn't certain how to comfort her.

Moving to sit beside her, Lewis gathered her into his arms. She reluctantly let go of her grandfather's hand, then threw her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck.

He held her quietly; letting her cry while his chameleons discussed the situation with the sapiens. The authorities would have to be called. Danielle would pay for her crime…and he would not have the blood of his mate's family on his hands. This was not the way he had wanted it handled, but there was a certain justice to it.

... ...

Anja sighed as Keri began crying in her sleep again. Lewis was busy. He'd made some kind of deal with the bodyguard and the CIA agent and now he and his chameleons had to follow through, so it was up to her to provide the needed comfort. David Bowman had finally decided to sedate her surrogate sib. According to James, Keri hadn't stopped crying since before they had left LA. Anja hadn't thought there could be that many tears in one person.

She slid an arm around Keri's shoulders and tugged the older woman into her side. It was a good thing the pain in her hip had finally subsided. After settling Keri's head on her own shoulder, Anja brushed the dark red curls out of her sib's eyes. It was a good thing she'd had her way, Anja thought. If it had been up to Mark and Lewis, Keri wouldn't have had a sister when she needed one. Anja smiled as Keri settled back into a deep sleep. And she would tell them so, in no uncertain terms, she decided.


	20. Chapter 20

Lewis climbed tiredly out of the Mercedes. It had been a long few days and he was missing his mate. The complex was quiet when they arrived. Other than the guards on duty, it seemed no one was stirring.

"It's still early," Tom said as though he had read his thoughts.

"Yes." He looked to where the sun was rising just above the horizon. His mate was certainly still asleep…he smiled at the thought and quickened his step, leaving Tom and Alexa staring after him.

He only made it as far as the study he had turned over to Mark. The coexistence faction's West Coast US section leader stepped out of it as he passed.

"Welcome back, Lewis. Did all go well?" Mark asked.

"As well as it could. You're up a bit early, aren't you?"

Mark frowned at him. "I didn't sleep well. Care to elaborate on how the clean up went?"

Lewis sighed and followed the younger man into the study and took a seat. He pulled a file out of the portfolio he carried and dropped it on the desk. "Tom, Alexa, and I met with members of the NSA. They are arranging for everyone's presence in Danielle's home other than mine and Keridwen's to be overlooked. It was felt that since Keridwen's pregnancy will eventually become public knowledge, and that since the paternity issue was shoved in her cousin's face, so to speak, it would serve as sufficient motive for Danielle's breakdown."

"Excellent. I'm glad they were agreeable to keeping my people out of it. It would be…unfortunate if the council were to learn that your mate was associated with us."

"It is unfortunate that the council will learn that Keridwen is associated with me without having direct evidence that we are bonded mates," Lewis noted.

"Carla is looking into doing something about that. She will be back this weekend to discuss it with you." Mark frowned in thought. "Were you able to apprise them of Danielle's experimentation programs?"

"Yes. In addition to questioning us about the incident, they took depositions from Tom and me about the treatment we received during our incarcerations and from Tom regarding his kidnapping. But so far, Danielle Ashton has only been charged for the murder of Senator Grant Ashton, and she is being examined by psychiatrists to determine whether she is competent to stand trial for it."

"Is she? From what James was able to tell me, and what Keri told Anja, the woman is quite mad."

"She is unbalanced, certainly. But she understands what she did and why." Lewis grimaced at the thought of his mate's cousin and her twisted psyche. "We also made tentative arrangements for their agents to meet with Dr. Bowman and Dr. Townsend to take their statements about the programs Danielle was running, and with Dr. Attwood, Mr. Peterson, Dr. Parker, and Dr. Tate regarding the ambush and Tom's kidnapping. We did not suggest that you join them. It was our consensus that you would prefer to remain anonymous."

"Yes. Thank you. Tell me, Lewis, do you trust the NSA?"

"Of course not. We will choose the meeting site. You can have soldiers meet their agents there and take them in a closed vehicle to a second site where our sapiens guests will be waiting to give their depositions."

"A wise precaution," Mark noted absently. "But I wonder if this is worthwhile, if anything helpful will come of this."

Lewis shrugged. "I don't think they'll file any further charges against her, but I believe giving a full report cannot harm any of us. Regardless of whether one is attempting to negotiate coexistence or not, this will build sympathy for our people with those that are aware of it. Though if they do not choose to add any charges for the program related activities, I very much doubt they will allow any of it to become public knowledge."

"Even if it becomes known only among the sapiens' Intelligence Community, it will be an advantage for us."

"I will be pleased if it simply discourages such an outrage from recurring," Lewis said. "Now, if you have nothing further, I wish to join my mate."

"Ah, of course. I'm sorry to have delayed you. Thank you for the update."

... ...

Anja sighed as she stared across the room. Keri was sleeping fitfully in the king-sized bed. It had been more than four days since Lewis had sent Keri home from LA alone. Keri had slept around the clock once Dr. Bowman had taken her off the sedative, and had been moping around the facility ever since. Nothing seemed to hold her interest. She'd had to hound her surrogate birth-sib into eating and getting outside.

The sun was coming up. It was yet another day that her sib would wake without her mate and be miserable. Anja picked at the Afghan that she had wrapped herself in. It was also another day she'd woken up without Mark. But she was _not_ going to be miserable. As soon as Lewis returned and took back his responsibility for his mate, she was going to have a long discussion with Mark about him not keeping his promises.

Anja frowned. Her hip was healed; she just needed some PT to recover full use of her muscles. Mark was not going to be able to put her off any longer. She looked up as she heard a noise in the hall; someone was speaking with the soldier on guard.

... ...

"Is about time," an alto voice said softly from the chaise as he stepped into the room.

Lewis frowned at Anja. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Your mate needed support. _You_ were not here." She shrugged. "_I_ was here for my sib."

"I see." He glanced over to where Keridwen was sleeping restlessly, her forehead wrinkled in a frown. One delicate hand clutched the comforter and the other her pillow. He sent reassurance through the bond and smiled as she relaxed.

"I'll go now, yes?" Anja asked.

"Ah, yes. Please. Do you need assistance?" he asked as the young female stood somewhat awkwardly.

"I can walk." Anja glared at him when he reflexively moved to steady her. "I heal fast."

"Indeed you do." He watched as she walked slowly to the bed and touched Keridwen…her sib's cheek, and then made her way to the door. "Anja," he said.

"Yes?"  
"I…thank you for caring for my mate. It is much appreciated."

"Keri my sib now. Of _course_ I will care for her," she huffed as she opened the door.

"Of course." Lewis suppressed a smile as he followed Anja to the door, then closed and locked it behind her. His mate had been in good hands. He had indeed underestimated both of them. After taking off his shoes and placing them neatly on their shelf in the closet, he removed his clothing and dropped it in the hamper. Keridwen was sleeping soundly. After the four-hour drive, a shower was in order before he joined her in their bed.

... ...

Tom stopped in front of the closed door and stared at it. Sloan was not inside their room; he couldn't feel her in the immediate area at all. He opened the door and looked inside, the bed was neatly made and all of their belongings were gone. Not that they'd had that many belongings, but…

He left the room and went down the hall towards the main stairs. "Chameleon," a voice called. He turned to the soldier that had addressed him.

"Yes?"

"Sir, we moved you and your…uh, mate to better quarters. You're now in the suite at the end of the southwest wing."

He could feel his eyebrows go up in surprise. "I…see. Why?"

"Lewis called and made the request a few days ago. I take it he did not choose to inform you."

"No. No, he did not," Tom said, trying to suppress his annoyance. "Thank you, ah?"

"Erik, sir."

"Erik. Thank you."

Tom frowned as he headed for the southwest wing's master suite. The Y shaped building had three master suites on the residential floors. The largest held Lewis' rooms in the north wing. Mark had a smaller suite at the end of the southeast wing that was the same size as his own new suite. Lewis was making assumptions. These were the rooms that had been intended for him when he was Lewis' lieutenant. And the chameleon master had referred to Alexa and him as 'his' chameleons many times during their trip south. He and Lewis had to have a serious talk, and soon. His former mentor had evidently dismissed the possibility that Tom did not wish to support his agenda. Tom frowned. What _was_ Lewis' agenda?

... ...

Keri contentedly snuggled into the hard muscles of Lewis' chest. His arms were wrapped around her and his lips brushed her forehead, perfect. Her eyes snapped open. He was home!

"Good morning, cherished," he whispered.

"Mmm. You're home…finally."

"Yes, finally."

She sighed and nuzzled his neck. His skin was damp and she could smell the slight citrus scent of his soap. "You took a shower first?"

"It was too early to wake you. I drove through the night so that I could be with you today."

"Hmm. Okay, I guess you're forgiven," she sighed.

Lewis chuckled softly. "Thank you, my mate."

Keri kissed his jaw, smiling as he turned to capture her lips with his own. She felt herself melting into him, enjoying both the physical closeness and the renewed closeness of their bond.

He brushed her hair back from her face and looked questioningly into her eyes. Frowning he pulled back as he felt her disquiet. "What is it, Keridwen?"

"Is everything…um…"

"Danielle is in custody, charged with murder. Your grandfather's personal assistant is making funeral arrangements."

"Oh." She sighed, trying to work past her regrets. None of this was Lewis' fault and he shouldn't have to deal with it.

"Cherished, you are my mate; it is my duty and privilege to help you with anything that bothers you."

Startled, she looked up into his bright blue eyes. "How? Oh, you picked it up anyway, huh?"

"Yes. Don't try to hide your sadness from me. Allow me to carry part of the burden. Please."

"I don't _want_ to be a burden, though. I want us to be about hope and about the future."

"You _are_ my hope, you _are_ my future," he insisted. Keri watched his long fingers brush over her stomach. "You are _all_ about my future…our future."

She swallowed and nodded. "I guess I've just got to get through the rest of my past."

"As did I." He snorted. "And with a similar degree of dramatics, hmm?"

Keri dissolved into giggles. "Yeah," she finally managed. "We don't do things halfway, do we?"

"No," he murmured, nuzzling the almost healed scar on her neck. "We do not." Keri shivered as he mouthed the sensitive spot. "Hmm," he continued. "I have been gone far too long."

"Yes," she agreed. "Don't ever do that again."

"Is that a threat?" he asked, his eyes glittering.

"Um. Yes?"

"Indeed. And what will you do if I am gone too long in the future?"

She prepared her most devastating pout then burst into laughter as she caught his upraised eyebrow. "Damn. That's not fair," she told him between giggles.

"All is fair in love and war."

"If you're going to use clichés, you could at least make up an original one."

He frowned, his head tilting in puzzlement. "Then it would not be a cliché, my own."

"You know what I mean," she insisted, rolling her eyes.

... ...

Lewis smiled at the reproach in her voice. "I know that my mate is very needy," he told her. "Almost as needy as I," he continued before she could protest.

"Needy, huh? Is that what it's called? Funny, I could have sworn that it's called…"

He cut off her words with a deep kiss. As her lips parted for him, he stroked her tongue with his own. He ripped at the ribbons that secured the silk nightdress and sighed as his fingers closed on her soft breasts.

Keridwen moaned and wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling herself tight against him. Her fingers dug into his back as she began to pant under his demanding touch.

Breaking off the kiss, he laughed at her eagerness. "Easy, cherished. We have all day if we want it."

"I don't want all day, I want forever."

His eyes closed and he could not control the flush of pride and triumph that suffused his aura. "Ah, my own. Forever is yours. I am yours."

Her lips brushed his softly. "I love that, you know?"

"Hmm?"

"When you feel proud of me."

"I am always proud of you. But I'll let you feel that pride more often if it pleases you."

"Yes," she whispered as his mouth closed again on her neck.

... ...

Tom opened the door to his new suite. He could see Sloan asleep through the open bedroom door. Quietly closing the door to the hall, he dropped the bag of their clothing he'd picked up in LA on the chaise and then continued to her side. She was always more beautiful in person than he remembered. Her auburn curls were tumbled across the pillow, her full pouting lips were slightly parted and her lashes lay like fans on her cheeks. He knelt beside the bed and leaned on it to watch her sleep.

He fought down a groan as she shifted and the blanket slipped down to her waist. Sloan was sleeping in one of her white slips, a very sheer one that did nothing to hide her delicate breasts. His fingers closed on the edge of the blanket as he shuddered, closing his eyes.

"Tom?" she whispered. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, Sloan." He reached out and took her hand in one of his. "I'm…I'm home." Tom frowned to himself as he realized it was true. This place that Lewis had made for him…and where Lewis had acknowledged Sloan as his cousin's mate was home.

... ...

Anja threw herself down on the king-sized bed. Of course Mark was up and out already even though it was barely 6 am. He was just trying to avoid her; she knew it.

She viscously punched the pillow, then tossed it across the room, looking up when she didn't hear it hit the ground. Mark was standing just inside the door, the pillow in his hands.

"I saw Lewis return," he said. "I hoped you'd come back here once he joined his mate. We need to talk."

"Come here and talk," she invited, patting the bed.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"And why not? My hip is healed."

"Anja, I…"

She moved as quickly as she could. Slowed as she was by the inactivity of the past two weeks, it was not fast enough. He managed to drop the pillow and catch her by her arms before she could embrace him.

"Anja, please. Don't make this any more difficult than it is."

"More difficult for who? You think this easy for me? Do you know how much I long for you?"

"It isn't right."

"Nothing I ever do is right for you."

"That isn't true."

"No? You were angry that I asked Keri to be my sib."

"I wasn't angry. I thought she would have to refuse and that you would be hurt."

"No. Only you hurt me."

Mark's head dropped. "And that," he said with a sigh, "is what I want most to avoid."

"Then take me. That would ease my pain."

"For now, perhaps." He placed his fingers over her mouth as she started to protest. "Anja, you are so young. I know that you don't want more children now, but you might eventually. Most of our females do. And I will never be able to give them to you."

She stared at him. He just did not get it. No more babies, _ever_. Her pelvis was too narrow, the birthing had been a nightmare of pain and bleeding and terror. "No. I will never want babies again. What can I do to convince you? Get human doctor to sterilize me?"

"No!" The horror on Mark's face was echoed in his voice.

"Then be my lover and I won't have to even consider that option." Mark sighed and dropped his hands. She took the opportunity to move in close and press herself against him. He groaned as she stood on tiptoe to brush his lips with hers and caught her to him, kissing her fiercely.

Anja grinned triumphantly as he lifted her and carried her to the bed, but her grin faded as he cocooned her in the blankets and sat down on the edge. "I can't do this, Anja. I'm sorry. I care for you, you know that I do, but I cannot be selfish in this. You deserve more."

Anja fought back tears as she clawed her way out of the wrapping of blankets and tumbled to the floor. She was glaring by the time she'd thrown on her clothing and grabbed her few belongings and pulled open the door. "You are right. I deserve more. I deserve a man who is not afraid to _be_ one!" She slammed the door so hard that it shook on the hinges, but it was not as satisfying as she had hoped it would be.

... ...

Erik tried not to stare as the courier stomped down the hall from their Section Leader's bedroom. Everyone in the complex knew that Anja and Mark desired each other, and they also knew from the frustration level that both exhibited that they had not indulged that desire. What no one understood was why. He shifted from one foot to the other. He wanted to follow her but didn't dare leave his post. It had to be nearly six. Where was his relief? Anja had flirted with him in the past, before she had set her sights on Mark. Now that it seemed she would not be with the section leader, perhaps she would consider him for a pairing.

Her courage and strength were well known. She'd be a mate he could be proud of. Erik frowned and checked his watch even though his time sense told him it was not yet six. He sighed. It was too soon to actively pursue her…but he could at least offer a friendly ear. Footsteps in foyer caught his attention. He extended his senses as they started up the stairs. It was James, finally. Hopefully he could brief him quickly and then catch up with Anja.

... ...

Keri stared as Lewis pulled away from her and climbed out of the bed. "Where are you going?"

"To get your present."

She grinned. It had been years since anyone had given her a present for anything but Christmas or her birthday. "What did you bring me?"

Lewis chuckled as he slid back in the bed beside her. "Open it and see," he invited.

The wrapping was swiftly discarded and she grinned at the box of French chocolate decadence truffles that was revealed. "I _love_ truffles!"

He sniffed haughtily. "I know."

Keri couldn't help it; she giggled. "Thank you! This is so sweet. Uh, no pun intended."

"I'm sure." Lewis uncharacteristically tossed the wrapping paper and the shopping bag on the floor and gathered her in his lap. She sighed as he kissed her, then pulled away pouting as he took the box out of her hands.

"Hey! Indian giver."

"Not at all, my own." He opened the box and set it on the night table. "It is all yours."

Her jaw dropped as he took a truffle from the box and rubbed it down the center of his chest. She blinked. "Lewis?" Keri looked at the paper on the floor, then back at him. "Are you all right?" His eyebrow rose. "This isn't like you…you're always so…neat."

"And you complained that my neatness verged on being anal. I thought you'd appreciate a change."

She chuckled. "I see, I asked for this, did I?"

"Essentially."

"Hmm." Keri leaned over to him and sniffed at the rich chocolate scent from the gooey confection that he'd smeared on his chest and down his lean stomach. "I do love chocolate," she admitted.

"I know," he told her as he pulled out a second piece and began rubbing it down from his abdomen to his genitals, smearing his now chocolate coated fingers over them as he hardened.

"Oooooh, now that's not fair."

"What isn't fair, cherished?"

"Well, now I don't know where to start."

"Ah." Lewis took the residue of the chocolate on his hand and rubbed it up his neck to his chin, then reached for the box again. A third piece was selected and held up to his mouth. "At the top, of course," he told her before placing it between his teeth.

Lewis waited as Keridwen shook her head in amazement, tossed off her nightdress, and then moved to meet his mouth with her own. He shivered as her tongue slid in between his teeth and scooped the small piece of chocolate into her own mouth.

He didn't leave it at that. He held her mouth to his and manipulated the candy with his tongue until it coated the insides of both their mouths. She moaned as the taste of the chocolate enhanced the kiss; then pulled away, gasping and licking her lips.

"Damn, love." She stared at him, shaking her head again, then moved to lick the chocolate from his chin and slowly began working her way down his neck.

... ...

Lewis leaned back on the pillows as she licked and nibbled her way down his chest, smiling at her moans and intermittent giggles. This had been a very good idea. He'd have to thank Newman, the NSA agent who suggested the truffles when he had mentioned his desire to take something special home to his mate.

"God, Lewis, this is too good," Keridwen murmured against his abs as she paused for a breath and to lick away the chocolate that was now smeared on her own lips and chin.

"I do _occasionally_ have a good idea, my own," he said dryly, then laughed as she stuck out her chocolate-coated tongue at him.

She pouted then moved back to his stomach. The incessant licking was doing its job and then some. He wasn't sure that he could stand it long enough for her to reach his arousal. Keridwen paused again, this time to plunge her tongue into his navel. Lewis groaned. This was definitely sweet torture. Sweet torture. He groaned again, this time at the unintentional pun. She moved on and he gasped as his mate's tongue swept the length of his penis.

... ...

Keri moaned at the taste of fine chocolate and Lewis that filled her mouth. This was _so_ intense. She smiled as his erection jerked under her tongue. Evidently Lewis found it so as well. He groaned as her mouth closed around the tip of his hard staff and her chocolate-coated tongue swirled around it. "Keridwen – you are killing me, cherished," he gasped.

She looked up. "No, no…that won't do at all. Definitely need you alive." Lewis mock glared at her as she giggled and then began teasing his penis in earnest. Her tongue traveled up and down its hard length, possibly putting more chocolate on than it was taking off. She gently mouthed the textured sac that hung beneath, shuddering as he groaned even more deeply.

Lewis was staring at her with burning eyes as she rubbed her cheek against him, and then took him into her mouth again. He sat up abruptly, and took her jaw in his hands. She nodded and he pushed down hard on the pressure points that relaxed her jaw muscles enough for her to slide his girth deep inside. Her insides were clenching as she sucked on his hard member. The taste of sweet chocolate was mingling with the slightly musky taste of pure sex. It was enough to make her lose her mind.

He was close to losing control, she could tell. His hands were in her hair and he was fighting the urge to pump into her mouth. She slid her mouth up and down his shaft repeatedly, sobbing when she couldn't get enough of him in. Keri gasped as Lewis pulled away from her and turned her onto her knees. His hands slid around her waist to support her as he thrust into her hot center from behind. She began to lose herself in the ancient rhythm as he penetrated her deeply.

"Yes, cherished," he whispered as she keened her pleasure. "Give yourself to me. Don't hold back." She shuddered as the sensations traveled up and down her body. One of his hands moved to knead her breasts. Sobbing as she swiftly lost all control, she clutched at his arms for support.

The waves of an incredible orgasm swept through her as he thrust deep inside, lifting her and pulling her down on his hardness as he moved. Keri screamed his name as she felt his seed fill her and his teeth close convulsively over the small scar on her throat.

"Keridwen!" he cried out hoarsely, then clasped her tightly to him as she collapsed in his arms. Still trembling, she felt him turn her and gently kiss her face before he laid her down on the bed. He settled himself beside her and slipped an arm under her shoulders and pulled her firmly against his chest. "Keridwen," he whispered. "I love you."

"I know."

Lewis chuckled. "I meant it, you know."

"Meant what?"

"I want you to be my wife as well as my bonded mate."

"Oh, Lewis." She snuggled in happily and then began to chuckle. She laughed harder as he frowned in consternation. "Do you know," she told him. "After all we've been through I have no idea what my name would be if we got married?"

Lewis stared at her; then smiled as he realized what she found so humorous. "Your name, my own, _will_ be Keridwen Elizabeth Ryan."


	21. Chapter 21

Ed yawned as he rolled out of bed and hit the floor…literally. "Man, I've got to stop doing that," he muttered as he did every morning. He picked himself up off of the floor and stretched, going to his toes and touching his fingertips to the high ceiling before dropping back flat on his feet. After checking the weather, he decided it would be a good morning for a run. Pulling the Nike's from the closet, he dropped them on the bed while he searched for a clean pair of socks. Surprisingly, they were in the drawer. Ed grinned. Laundry service was a definite plus to living in this place. Having a cook and someone who came in to clean wasn't bad either. He couldn't remember ever living in a room so neat. It wasn't that he was dirty, or even untidy. He kept his work areas clean. It's just that by the time he got done work or school or whatever activity he was spending eighteen hours a day on, cleaning and straightening up his living area didn't seem like a priority.

Socks, running shorts, T-shirt, okay now the shoes. He finished lacing them and stood, starting his pre-run stretches as he left his room and headed down the hall. He glanced up the main stairs to the third floor before heading downstairs, wondering if he should go see Sloan and invite her to come running. Nah, she didn't much care for it anyway and she was probably still asleep. Hopefully Tom would be back soon and she would snap out of the doldrums. The main living area of the mansion seemed deserted…oh, except for the kitchen. He could hear dishes being rattled as he passed…and was that coffee?

Ed carefully opened the door…he'd almost slammed it into one of the dominants earlier in the week, only the woman's sensing ability had saved her from a nasty surprise. It opened easily and he stepped in. Alexa looked up from the table in one corner of the huge kitchen area where the staff usually ate. She nodded politely over her cup of hot coffee and then resumed sipping it. He returned her nod and filled a cup for himself. "Mind if I join you?" he asked.

... ...

Alexa looked up at the tall sapiens. After spending nearly five days either with Tom and Lewis, or surrounded by sapiens Intel agents, she had been enjoying the solitude, but could hardly refuse to share the public table. "Help yourself," she told him.

"That's not really an answer, you know."

Hmm, he was perceptive for a sapiens. "No, I suppose it isn't. Please sit and don't mind my mood. It's been a long few days."

"How'd everything go?" he asked.

"I'm sure Mark will hold a detailed briefing later. But overall, it went well."

"Great." He drank the hot liquid as quickly as its temperature evidently allowed.

"In a hurry, doctor?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm going for a run before it heats up out there. Don't you have fall here?"

Alexa found herself chuckling. "The weather in the Central Valley is…unique. The heat will last well into September and then it becomes tolerable for about a month."

"And let me guess; then winter sets in?"

"Well, it gets quite chilly and overcast. Then the fogs set in. Have you ever seen Tule Fog?" she asked.

"Never even heard of it."

"You could hide an army battalion in it and the enemy would never see them until they walked into their ranks. You literally cannot see more than a few feet or so in front of you."

"Sounds oppressive."

"It can be. Lewis thought it would be good for training purposes." She bit her lip as he muttered 'it figures' under his breath. He noticed.

"Sorry. I know he's your dad and all…"

"No. We don't have dads like you do. Lewis was my sire. I had no contact with him until I was in my twenties when he became my teacher. We have no emotional attachment as you sapiens do between offspring and parents."

"So what do you think of him then?" Dr. Tate asked.

Alexa frowned. "Well, he's a brilliant tactician. Insightful." She shrugged. "He also knows people. He…"

"That's not what I meant," the sapiens interrupted.

"Then what did you mean, Dr. Tate?"

"Look, could you just call me Ed? 'Dr. Tate' makes me feel like I should be some kind of lab nerd or something." She raised an eyebrow. "Okay, well, it makes me feel like I should have no other interests."

"You have other interests?"

"Hey! Of course I do."

"I see."

"I surf, I hike, rock climb, camp…"

"All physical activities, not interests."

He frowned thoughtfully. "Well, my work is almost all mental, so that makes me a more rounded person, don't you think?"

"Good point," she conceded, admiring the rear view as he stood and carried his mug over to the sink. For a sapiens, and especially a sapiens scientist, he kept himself in excellent physical shape.

"Ah, I'd better get going. See you around, okay?" he said with a self-conscious grin.

"Of course." Alexa sipped more of her coffee. That man might actually prove to be…interesting.

... ...

Anja muttered to herself as she waxed the Firehawk with long sweeping circles. She'd tried to prepare herself for Mark's rejection, but it still hurt. He just didn't know what he was missing, she decided and then groaned. She knew damn well what she was missing, and had been missing since she'd been spending so much time with the faction. And if Mark wasn't going to get off his high horse and give it to her…Her head snapped up as she heard a foot scuffle across the concrete. "Who is there?" she asked. The signature felt familiar, but she couldn't quite match it with a face…and it was too dark in the corners of the vehicle bay to do a visual match.

A man stepped into the light. "Erik," he said.

Erik. One of the soldiers Mark had recruited from their European army battalion. She'd seen him there upon occasion, and he had, in fact, been present in Bosnia when she had delivered critical information and orders with that damn bayonet in her side. Anja frowned. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "I came to apologize." Erik paused as she gave him a questioning look. "When I realized you were having an argument with Mark, I should have taken the opportunity to patrol one of the other wings. I did not."

Her eyes narrowed. He'd listened in on purpose. Now everyone would know of her failure with the section leader. Anja discovered she was shaking with anger and clamped down on her self-control.

"Look, I just wanted to say that, in this respect, Mark is a fool. Any man should consider himself privileged to attract your interest." He shifted from one foot to the other as she favored him with a disbelieving stare. "Your courage and strength are well known…and you are very attractive. I would not be such a fool."

"You would not?" she asked as he walked between her and the hood of her car.

"No. I would consider it an honor to pair with you."

"Really?" He nodded. "Even if it were here and now?"

His eyes widened and he swallowed. "Uh, yes…of course."

"Prove it," she said with a smirk. Erik blinked several times before his hands moved to the waistband of his trousers. Anja leaned her weight on her right leg and folded her arms to wait. A tiny grin appeared on her face as he pulled off his belt and then unbuttoned and unzipped the khaki colored pants. He met her eyes with a questioning look. "I wasn't kidding," she told him.

Erik swallowed nervously. He'd thought she was bluffing. Ah well, if that was what it took…he extended his senses, there was no one about. He let his pants and briefs drop to the concrete floor. He smiled as her eyes widened.

She tilted her head to the side, openly staring at him. His smile grew as she walked toward him then pushed him back until he was reclining on the hood of the black and gold car. "You'll do," she told him.

He snorted. "I'll do? Anja, I'll more than do."

Anja grinned. "Maybe you right. We find out, yes?"

"Oh yes," Erik groaned as she grasped his stiffening member in one small strong hand. He shuddered as her hand teased him into full arousal and reached out to unfasten her cutoffs and push them down her curved hips. She stepped out of the denim shorts and kicked them aside impatiently, never pausing in her stroking. Then she pulled off her T-shirt and cotton underpants and tossed them on top of her other clothing. Erik could not believe it was going to be this easy. He had anticipated weeks if not months of pursuing the courier's favor. Groaning again as she climbed up on the hood to straddle him and brush her damp pubis against his straining penis, he reached up to caress her petite and beautifully shaped breasts and decided not to question his good fortune.

... ...

Anja laughed as she mounted Erik's erection. This one was a bit younger than she preferred, but he was almost as well equipped as Lewis. At least so far as she could tell from that glimpse they had all seen of her sib's mate when he woke up and pulled off the sheet after the last time Keri had saved his life. She balanced over Erik, one hand grasping his cock firmly, and slowly lowered herself onto it. His groan echoed hers as he filled her. She laughed again as he lost patience and grasped her hips to pull her further down on him. Yessssss, this was what she had needed!

Erik stared up at her, his eyes hot. His hands lifted and tugged, helping her achieve a steady but urgent rhythm as she rode him. "Ah, damn…Anja! So good…I didn't…"

Anja grinned at his incoherence and then gasped as he pulled her down sharply, fully sheathing himself in her for the first time. He was so long! She'd never voluntarily been with anyone so…equipped before. Her eyes closed, savoring the pleasure as he began to thrust up to meet her every descent. Her right hip was still firmly held by his left hand, but his free hand moved to caress her, the strong fingers parting her folds and stroking her clitoris. She began to moan as the sensations built within her. His moans filled her ears as she grasped his shoulders for balance, riding hard and fast. She was on the edge…and from the urgency of his upward thrusts, so was he.

She began to keen as he exploded inside her. Her body was rocking back and forth on his pumping member; the motion seemed independent of her will. Staring almost sightlessly into the distance, shudders running through her body, she suddenly focused on a dark figure that stood stiffly just inside the side door; shock emanated from it.

Anja collapsed on Erik, sobbing as the man turned abruptly and left the garage. She'd told Mark that she would find a man willing to be one. But she hadn't meant for it to be so soon, or for him to see it. Erik was stroking her back soothingly. She turned her attention back to him, meeting his questing mouth in a fierce kiss to celebrate the pleasure they had shared.

... ...

Mark stalked blindly back to the main house. He'd gone looking for Anja, to apologize, to beg her to give him more time. She hadn't waited long before finding another. Finally reaching his private suite he dropped down on the hand woven rug in front of the fireplace. What had he expected? She was sensual, courageous, strong, and fertile. Anja could have almost any sexual partner she desired among their people. And were she willing to enter into a pairing for offspring, she would have countless males lining up for the privilege. She had no use for him, no fertile female did.

Once he managed to still the shaking, he moved into a meditative posture. There was a faction to run and potential allies to recruit. He had to put her out of his mind…or at least out of his dreams and get back to work.

... ...

Jeffrey smiled at the woman who staffed the tiny Fig Garden Rose Shop on the corner of Maroa and Shaw. She was flirting for all she was worth. He didn't bother to tell her she was wasting her time. He was buying flowers for someone, and if she couldn't figure it out for herself, well. He gathered up the bundle carefully and headed up the street. Caryn had been responding well to his friendly overtures, but now he wanted to show her that he wanted more.

Once he was satisfied that Jeffrey had serious intentions of a relationship with his colleague and was not just looking for a convenient sexual partner, David had been pleased to apprise him of Caryn's likes and dislikes. Hence the special order he had made for four dozen white roses, and a single perfect red rose.

Caryn was busy working in the new lab this morning, so he'd be able to slip into her bedroom through the connecting door and arrange the flowers as a surprise for when she returned to it to get her toothbrush and toothpaste after lunch. Jeffrey chuckled. He couldn't wait to see her face.

... ...

Lewis opened his eyes a full second before the guard knocked on the door to announce a visitor. The sense of purposefulness and determination had echoed so strongly down the hall that it had penetrated his sleep. He carefully set his mate aside and climbed out of the bed. Frowning at a sticky sensation he looked down at the remains of the path of chocolate that ran down his body. Keridwen hadn't been as thorough as she might have been, he noted. "Tell him I'll meet him in the library in a few minutes," he said to James after opening the door a crack. Then he closed the door and headed for the shower.

"Who was it?" Keridwen asked when he returned to the bedroom.

"Bear." He fended off her reaching arms. "Cherished, you are covered with chocolate and I've just dressed."

She looked up at him with a pout. "Not going to clean me off?"

He sighed. "Bear was very insistent about seeing me immediately. And he was vocally annoyed with having to deal with James."

"But…"

Lewis shook his head regretfully. "No, my own. I cannot indulge you now." He chuckled at her put upon sigh and lightly kissed her forehead…quite possibly the only part of her _not_ smeared with chocolate. "Take a bath and go have a meal. We'll have time together later, hmm?"

... ...

"I'll be out in a few," Caryn told Sloan as she headed for her room. "I just want to brush my teeth."

"Oh, good idea," Sloan said and followed her. "I always forget during the day. Too much to think about I guess." The two women climbed the broad staircase in a companionable silence, parting on the second floor.

"Oh, how are the new rooms?" Caryn asked as Sloan continued up the stairs.

"Great! There's almost as much space as I had in my old apartment. It's plenty of room for me and Tom."

"Cool! See you in a bit." Caryn dashed down the hall to her room and opened the door, then froze in surprise. Vases of white roses, her favorite, filled every flat surface in the main part of the room. She turned around, staring with her mouth open. A single splash of color caught her eye. There, lying on her pillow, was one dark red rose. She walked to it wide eyed, and picked up the note card that sat beside the blossom. "Oh, mah." The full-length cheval mirror that sat in front of the opposite wall reflected her blush. "What a sweet thing to do." She sighed and sat down on the bed.

Jeff did train to seduce human women, she thought. Caryn chuckled. It was definitely working, but… She reread the note: 'A beautiful woman is often compared to a rose. I find that a single rose cannot compare with a beautiful woman who possesses a beautiful mind…and I suspect that comparing you to all of the roses in the world would also be inadequate. Jeffrey'.

Caryn jumped at the knock that sounded from the side of her room, not from the door to the hall. She got up to investigate and followed the sound as the knock was repeated. Her eyebrows shot up. She hadn't noticed the door behind the huge cheval mirror. Her eyes narrowed as she recalled that Jeff's rooms were down this hall…and that he had made the room assignments. She'd better not find out that she was on the list of targets for that damn breeding program or Jeff was going to find out that a Texan's temper was as impressive as the state itself!

She reached out to unlock the door, and then turned the knob. It opened to reveal Jeff, his usual gorgeous self, dressed in a pair of jeans and a silk shirt. He was standing there with a rather hopeful expression.

"Have I been too presumptuous?" he asked, evidently picking up on her annoyance.

Caryn sighed. He really was just too handsome. And that boyish expression was to die for. Try as she might to sustain her irritation, she felt it melting away. "Jeff, just what are you tryin' to do?" She winced as she heard her accent thickening. It always did that when she was agitated.

"I'm trying to express interest, desire…I…I don't know how to say it."

"Try another one, honey. You've been trained to win women's hearts. Ah'm not buying the ignorance line."

"I'm trained to win their bodies. Their hearts were always incidental." He shifted uncomfortably. "Caryn, I could seduce you and have your body…which is very nice, I must say. If that were what I wanted, you'd find yourself happily in bed with me and not really know how you got there. But I don't believe that's enough for me. Not anymore."

"I…see."

"Do you? Please, Caryn. Explain it to me? I'm feeling things, I just don't understand them." He sighed. "It's all Keri's fault, you know."

Caryn was almost afraid to ask, but this was too weird. "Keri? What does it have to do with her?"

"She was my last assignment. I failed, utterly, even though she liked me and was seriously attracted to me."

Keri had passed on Jeffrey but had taken Lewis? Caryn's nose wrinkled as she tried to figure that out. "Okay, ah'll bite. Why did you fail?"

"She wanted love and I wasn't giving it to her." He paused, frowning in consternation. "Keri challenged me to know my feelings. I didn't think I _had_ any feelings, we're taught to suppress them almost utterly. In some disciplines the students are taught from infancy to eliminate them." His eyes darkened…he looked almost sad. Caryn caught herself before she reached out for him. He had to finish this; she had to know what he was thinking. "Caryn, I learned that I do have feelings, strong ones. I just don't understand them. I know I enjoy being with you. You are interesting, intelligent, and beautiful. I look forward to our talks about literature and philosophy…not just because of the intellectual stimulation, but sometimes just to hear your voice. I feel more alive when I'm with you. Please, help me learn about my feelings. I can't promise you anything yet, I just know I want to be with you…" he trailed off, his hands outstretched.

Caryn sighed and took his hands. He stepped into her room and moved hers to his shoulders then slipped his arms around her waist. She trembled a little as his lips brushed hers ever so gently. Jeff shuddered slightly and then deepened the kiss. Caryn felt herself melting into his embrace and moaned at the sweetness and reverence of it. As the kiss ended, she rested her head on his shoulder. "Let's learn together, okay?" she asked.

... ...

Lewis tried to assess Bear's frame of mind as he headed for the library to determine what the biker and former Green Beret wanted from him. All he could read was an odd mixture of anger, annoyance, devotion, and hope.

The bigger man climbed to his feet as Lewis entered the room. "Thanks fer seein' me," he muttered.

"No need to thank me," Lewis told him. "What can I do for you? Has there been a problem?"

Bear shrugged. "Not really. Jes wanted ta talk ta ya 'bout Amy."

Lewis' eyebrows rose. This was about Bear's daughter…hmm. He suppressed a grin. The mixture of love, frustration, and pride that Bear felt for the girl was vastly amusing. It echoed his feelings for Keridwen, if one subtracted the overwhelming sexual attraction his mate engendered in him. "All right, what about Amy?"

"She don' belong on the road. Amy's a smart girl, belongs in school, gettin' 'erself an education. Don' want her to be like her old man, left with nuthin' but bein' a bouncer or workin' loadin' docks. Sure as hell don' want her signin up for the military, ya know?"

"I know. Can she pass a GED or does she need classes to study for it?"

"GED, hell. She got her diploma, graduated high school afore she went an' run away from her momma 'n stepdad."

Lewis frowned. "She had her high school diploma at sixteen?"

"Yep. Tole ya she was smart."

"So it seems. You want her to attend college then."

"College, business school, tech school, whatever. Somethin' that can git 'er a good life."

"I can finance whatever education she is willing to obtain."

"Tain't just that. Girl needs a place ta live, a safe place."

Lewis' mouth twitched. "And you think _this_ is a safe place?"

"Better'n th' road, or someplace on 'er own. Look, ah know ya all got yer problems and dangers here, but ya all can handle 'em ah'm thinkin'.

"We can; one way or another. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Nah, besides, she already saw ya kill those three she was runnin with."

"Actually, I didn't kill any of them. Pit Bull and Pete killed each other, I admit to engineering it, but I did not wield the weapons that killed them."

"What 'bout Spike?"

"Spike would have slit Keridwen's throat before I could have even reached him." Lewis watched dispassionately as Bear realized that Amy had killed the third biker.

"Shi-it. She gonna have that hangin' over her head? Dayum."

"Don't worry. Even if the body should be accidentally discovered, there was no evidence left to connect Amy with his death. The 'weapon' she used was dropped in a vat of acid once I reached this complex."

Bear nodded. "Betcha ya hid th' body real good, too."

"I did."

"Dayum. Just when ah'm thinkin' we's close to even, ya go and make me owe ya agin."

"No. I was simply repaying my debt to Amy for saving my mate's life. Neither of you owe me anything." Lewis sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs and crossed his legs, resting his left calf on his right thigh. "Have you discussed your plans for her education with Amy?"

"Hell no. Ah don' think she's gonna mind, ya know. Fool girl's been moonin' over a coupla the fellas here. Hey, need ya ta tell 'em not ta get 'er knocked up, 'kay? Specially that James fella."

Lewis snorted. "Oh, I'd be a great example. After announcing to all and sundry that I did not wish my mate to have a pregnancy yet…"

Bear nearly choked on his laughter. "Well, ya know, them that can't do, teaches."

... ...

Mark sat in his study, staring out the window as the sun set. There was so much to do and less than a month in which to accomplish it. The faction had to be strong, and united, before the advent of Kewley's comet in the October sky. Tom had chosen coexistence, but Lewis still straddled the line. The two surviving Chosen for this prophecy had to follow the same course or there would be anarchy. He chuckled at the thought of how the comet's passing would affect their official councils. Neither of the remaining Chosen would follow the path they had set. The councils would soon be powerless, yet had no clue. Their own shortsightedness in condemning the two Chosen had doomed them.

He sobered as he realized that anarchy was still a very real possibility. Lewis was far from convinced that coexistence was desirable, let alone possible, even though he was living it in a limited manner. And then there were the rogues to consider; those condemned by the council for their devotion to destruction. The amoral rogues, many of who were clones, believed that sapiens were here for their use and amusement. They played with them, always mentally and sometimes physically, showing their disdain for authority and their total disregard for the sanctity of life…any life. The council had cloned too many of their best before they realized their mistake.

They had discovered too late that clones had no souls, no conscience. They took, they used, and they killed without remorse and often without thought. Even the Chosen had been cloned at one point. The chameleons had been tasked to track those particular rogues down and destroy them, but had been only partially successful. There were still at least three clones of the Chosen out there that Mark knew of. He'd have to ask Lewis if there were more.

The clones of the Chosen could impersonate them at the passing of the comet. It was a given that they would not choose coexistence, at least not truly. Mark had feared they would claim to choose it and then destroy the faction from within later. That couldn't happen now, not when he had the originals of Tom and Lewis within reach, but the clones could still fool the general population and sabotage the faction's goals.

Mark let his eyes drift closed and leaned back in the custom made ergonomic chair. There was so much to do and so many people he needed to contact. They would be seeing a lot of familiar faces in the next few weeks.

His eyes snapped open. Shit, he thought. On top of everything else, they had a wedding to plan! He had been rather tersely informed that it _would_ be held before the comet arrived. "Lewis," he muttered, "I'm beginning to think you are more trouble than your support could _ever_ be worth."

_The story continues in "Familiar Faces"_


End file.
